Afghan MPs oppose Prophet cartoon

There have been protests against the cartoon in the past

Afghan MPs have protested against the reprinting of a cartoon regarded as insulting to the Prophet Mohammed and a film said to be critical of the Koran.

The cartoon has been republished in Danish newspapers. The upcoming Dutch film criticising Islam has been made by far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders.

The MPs have called on the Danish and Dutch governments to prevent such acts.

The film project has already been condemned by several Muslim countries, including Iran and Pakistan.

The Afghan MPs demonstrated outside the country's parliament on Tuesday. Some of them chanted: "Death to the enemies of Islam".

They called on international organisations like the United Nations to prevent actions which they said could trigger confrontations.

'Limits of expression'

Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta, who is on a visit to Scandinavian countries, told the BBC's Afghan Service that he had raised the issue with the Danish authorities.

"I expressed my own opinion that insulting the Prophet Mohammed cannot be included in the principle of freedom of expression."

Mr Wilders is the leader of the Dutch Freedom Party

"Freedom of expression has its limits - it should not harm religious feeling and beliefs."

The original printing of the Danish cartoon prompted major demonstrations in Afghanistan in early 2006 during which a number of people were killed.

Two years later, its reprinting has rekindled some of the anger of that time.

And it is not just the cartoon issue which is upsetting Afghan politicians - the MPs were also protesting against a forthcoming film from Mr Wilders.

Meanwhile, ordinary Afghans too have been showing their displeasure.

During a demonstration in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif on Sunday, hundreds of protesters burned the Danish and Dutch flags and demanded that the government shut down the two countries' embassies in Kabul.

The demonstrators said they would step up their protests unless the Afghan government expelled the troops.

The Dutch government has warned Mr Wilders that the film will damage Dutch political and economic interests.