Thousands of people have marched in the Russian North Caucasus republic of Ingushetia to protest Western publications that insult the Prophet Muhammad.
Ingushetia head Yunus-Bek Yevkurov told the crowd on January 17 that the publication of insulting caricatures amounts to "state extremism on the part of some Western countries."
A similar protest is planned for January 19 in the nearby Russian republic of Chechnya. Chechen head Ramzan Kadyrov has promised a turnout of 500,000 people.
The Russian government expressed condolences following the January 7 terrorist attack in Paris against the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov participated in a solidarity march in the French capital a few days later.
However, state-controlled Russian media and commentators on social media have said the victims provoked the attack and have denounced the publication of materials that offend religious sensibilities.
