Laws not central to debate on Paris attacks

One may agree or disagree with the Charlie Hebdo journalists, but the facts are that they knew they were threatened and, for not abandoning their idea of freedom, they paid the highest price: Their lives.

Some may call them stupid, but I disagree with the commentary writer in “Paris attacks: Debate should be on security failure, not religion” (Jan 19), where he states that Charlie Hebdo’s mockery “is not an act of bravery”.

Press laws vary from country to country. In Ireland, for instance, blasphemy is an offence and newspapers cannot reproduce Charlie Hebdo caricatures.

In many other countries where the freedom of the press is equivalent to France’s and the law permits the reproduction, editors have chosen against it.

Islam prohibits the representation of the Prophet, but is this applicable in France, for instance, where blasphemy is not an offence?

Extremists used their objections to this to justify a murderous rampage. Even if France changes its laws, the extremists will not stop there. They will use more violence in their bid to impose on everyone their definition of Islam, a stance that has been roundly condemned by Muslim leaders.

This is not the world we want. The world we want is one where everybody is free to practise his beliefs peacefully, whether they are religious or not.