Jakarta – Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin said on Thursday that the media could uphold free speech while still respecting the religious codes, including the Islamic injunction against the portrayal of Prophet Muhammad.

Lukman issued the statement in response to the distribution of the latest Charlie Hebdo issue with a cartoon of the Prophet on the cover.

Lukman is currently in Saudi Arabia to meet with several Saudi officials on matters related to haj. Lukman said the recent killing of Charlie Hebdo journalists in Paris must be a lesson for all sides to respond with restraint to the incident.

"The emotional reaction of a massive mobilization of power through the distribution of a caricature on a large scale to show support and sympathy for the journalists killed could result in harsher reactions," he pointed out.

The minister called on all sides, especially Muslims, to exercise restraint. "No matter how deep our disappointment and anger over the insult to our faith is, we must not take the law into our hands and spread violence that can cause the deaths of others," he said.

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/01/16/minister-calls-press-respect-islamic-code.html-0