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Charlie Hebdo magazine has won an international award for "Islamophobe of the year" by a British Muslim group.

The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) awarded the French satirical magazine the gong for the world's most islamophobic person or publication in a ceremony on Saturday.

It beat off stiff competition in the international cateogry from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US president Barack Obama and American television host Bill Maher.

Some claimed the decision to award the title to Charlie Hebdo was insensitive after 12 members of magazine staff were shot dead by terrorists this year.

A survival edition of the magazine released in the wake of the attacks subsequently sparked outrage after it featured a front page cartoon of a crying Prophet Mohammed.

But the IHRC insisted the awards were supposed to be taken as "tongue in cheek".

A spokesman for the group said: "The annual Islamophobia awards have come to be known as a tongue in cheek swipe at those in public life who have perpetrated or perpetuated acts of hatred against Muslims and their faith."

The group's chairman Massoud Shadjareh told the IBTimes UK: "The reality is that this is a satirical thing and if people think Muslims should be on the receiving end of satire, then why cannot Muslims give it, too?

"The point made against Muslims regularly is that they do not have a sense of humour; they are portrayed as being dry and angry, but we have a sense of humour and we can give it back."