Chechnya rallies against Prophet cartoons

Over a million people rallied in Grozny, the capital of the Russian republic Chechnya, Monday to protest against the caricature of Prophet Muhammad in the media.

The event, called "Love for the Prophet Muhammad", was organised on the initiative of Chechen clerics, TASS news agency reported.

A Chechen leader quoted in the media accused European journalists and politicians of insulting the religious feelings of millions in the name of freedom of speech and democracy.

According to Xinhua, Russia's chief mufti, Ravil Gainutdin, who also took part in the rally, said that one should not blame Islam just because some terrorists committed crimes under its banner.

"Followers of all religions kill, commit crimes. No one has the right to blame a religion and the entire nation because of that," he said.

On Saturday, over 20,000 people rallied in Magas, capital of the Russian republic of Ingushetia, to protest against the desecration of Prophet Muhammad by Western publications.

The rallies following a terror attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo which courted controversy over the caricature of the Prophet.