Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed - on Thursday - that insulting the Prophet Muhammad - may God bless him and grant him peace - has nothing to do with freedom of creativity and expression.
Putin's statement came on the sidelines of his major annual press conference, in response to a question about the line between insulting someone's feelings and the artist's right to expression.
And Russian media quoted the Russian president as saying, "It is not freedom of opinion, but a violation of the freedom of belief and sacred feelings for those who embrace Islam."
"Let's think about this aspect of the issue, we must provide freedom in general, because a sad and boring future awaits us without it, but we must realize that this freedom contradicts our goals when it tampers with someone else's freedom," he said.