“While appreciating that the publication of the drawing may have caused offence to many Muslims, WAN emphasizes that the Nerikes Allehanda enjoys full freedom of expression and that a choice to publish the drawing falls within that right and should be duly respected,” the Paris-based WAN said in a statement.

“In the editorial, Johansson expressed dismay over the fact that several art galleries had refused to show Vilke’s drawing of the Prophet, due to concerns about how the Muslim community might react. 'Art galleries let themselves be frightened by a diffuse threat. This sends a signal that it is easy to silence people through scaring them,’ he wrote.”

The Shaping the Future of the Newspaper project is part of the WAN, the newspaper industry's global organisation, which defends and promotes press freedom around the world. The organisation represents 18,000 newspapers, including 76 national newspaper assocations, companies and individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, as well as 12 news agencies and 10 regional and worldwide press groups.