Blasphemy For The Win: Charlie Hebdo, the satirical newspaper that was the target of a brutal terrorist attack by Islamic extremists in Paris last week, will feature cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in its next issue.

The next issue of Charlie Hebdo, put together by survivors of last week’s newsroom massacre in Paris by Islamic gunmen, will feature cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, despite the obvious dangers in offending the “religion of peace.”

Richard Malka, the magazine’s lawyer, said of the decision to print the cartoon:

We will not give in otherwise all this won’t have meant anything.

Malka continued:

The Charlie state of mind is the right to blaspheme… A Je Suis Charlie banner means you have the right to criticise my religion, because it’s not serious…

Malka goes on to draw an important distinction between criticising or even insulting people, and criticizing or insulting ideas:

We have never criticised a Jew because he’s a Jew, a Muslim because he’s a Muslim or a Christian because he’s a Christian. But you can say anything you like, the worst horrors – and we do – about Christianity, Judaism and Islam, because behind the nice slogans, that’s the reality of Charlie Hebdo.

Insulting people for their religious belief is never a good idea. However, to criticize or even insult religious beliefs must be permitted in a free and open society, otherwise that society is neither free nor open.

A million-copy print run of the new edition is expected to be out on Wednesday, and will be translated into 16 languages.

Malka said the new edition will contain cartoons of Prophet Mohammed, along with jibes against politicians and religions across the board.