The Saudi Arabia-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) is planning to sue the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo following its publication of a front cover depicting the Prophet Mohamed.

It comes as demonstrations against the controversial image on last week’s “survivor” issue turned violent in Niger, Pakistan and Algeria, while the Iranian authorities banned a daily newspaper for a front-page headline allegedly offering Charlie Hebdo its support.

In Saudi Arabia, the former culture minister and now head of the Jeddah-based OIC condemned the new edition of Charlie Hebdo as “an idiotic step that requires necessary legal measures”.

Iyad Madani told a Saudi newspaper: “OIC is studying Europe and French laws and other available procedures to be able to take legal action against Charlie Hebdo.

“If French laws allow us to take legal procedures against Charlie Hebdo, OIC will not hesitate to prosecute the French magazine.”

On his personal Twitter feed, Madani added: “These cartoons have hurt the sentiments of Muslims across the world.

“Freedom of speech must not become a hate speech and must not offend others. No sane person, irrespective of doctrine, religion or faith, accepts his beliefs being ridiculed,” he said.

Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Show all 15 1 /15 Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo The latest edition of Charlie Hebdo magazine, featuring a cartoon of the Prophet Mohamed on the front cover Getty Images Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo The first edition of Charlie Hebdo after 12 people were massacred at its offices AFP/Getty Images Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo A woman reads the first edition of Charlie Hebdo after 12 people were massacred at its offices AFP/Getty Images Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo As people march in Paris and the Arc de Triomphe displays the slogan 'Paris is Charlie', the tomb of the unknown soldier says "I have an erection!" AFP/Getty Images Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo A cartoon showing the Christian, Jewish and Muslim religions carving up the world, mirroring the post-war Yalta Conference between Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt. The Catholic figure says he will guard the West and directs the Jewish figure to guard the East. AFP/Getty Images Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo What future for our jihadists? 'Security guard at Carrefour?' AFP/Getty Images Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo A man pays for his new Charlie Hebdo edition at a newsstand in Paris Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo People browse a newsstand advertising "We don't have any more Charlie Hebdo". Charlie Hebdo's defiant new issue sold out before dawn around Paris, with scuffles at kiosks over dwindling copies of the paper Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo People wait to buy the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo newspaper at a newsstand in Rennes Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo People wait outside a newsagents in Paris Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo A sign which translates as "Charlie Hebdo - Sold Out - Next deliveries on Thursday, Friday and Saturday" is displayed at a newsagents in Strasbourg Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo The depiction of the Prophet Mohamed on the front cover has offended many Muslims AP Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo People wait outside a newsagents in Dunkirk for a copy of the magazine AFP Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo Members of the public queue at a newspaper kiosk, where copies of the latest edition of Charlie Hebdo magazine are being sold in Paris Getty Charlie Hebdo: The first edition since the Paris massacre Charlie Hebdo The new edition of Charlie Hebdo is prepared for delivery at a press distribution center in the suburb of Marne La Valle in Paris

The OIC has member states across North Africa and the Middle East, among others, as well as permanent delegations to the UN and EU. Madani was nominated to be its secretary general by Saudi Arabia, and elected at the end of 2013.

Madani’s comments came as the Iranian newspaper Mardom-e-Emrooz – or Today’s People – was ordered to close after publishing a front page quoting George Clooney saying: “Je suis Charlie”.

The newspaper pictured Clooney wearing a “Je suis Charlie” – or “I am Charlie [Hebdo]” – pin at the Golden Globes, but expressed neither support for the statement or the magazine in general from Mardom-e-Emrooz itself.

In Niger, police fired tear gas on an opposition protest held in defiance of a ban declared by the government in the aftermath of anti-Charlie Hebdo protests.

Though Sunday’s demonstration was planned well in advance of the shootings in Paris that saw 17 people killed in three days, it was banned by officials following violent riots at the end of last week.

Protesters against the Charlie Hebdo cartoons have set churches on fire, attacked bars and police stations and killed 10 people across the capital Niamey.

Elsewhere in the Muslim world, Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani condemned Charlie Hebdo, calling the newest cover image of Mohamed a blasphemous and irresponsible act.

“Freedom of expression should be used in a way to boost understanding between the religions,” he said in a statement issued by the presidential palace.

Iraq's prime minister Haider Abadi also issued a statement of condemnation, warning that “offensive words might lead to further bloodshed”.

He also reiterated his condemnation of the attacks on innocent victims in Paris, saying that terrorism, “has nothing to do with Islam in any way”.

In Algiers, the Pakistani city of Karachi and the Yemeni capital Sanaa, protesters and police clashed outside their respective French embassies.

In Egypt, the Islamist Noor Party denounced the latest Charlie Hebdo cover on its French-language Facebook page.

“Just as the Noor Party rejects the assault on civilians and the negative effects it has for all Muslims of Europe, it also rejects this barbaric, irresponsible act under the name of freedom of expression,” the statement declared.