Charlie Hebdo Prophet Mohammed cartoon sees Iranian Muslims launch Holocaust cartoon competition

Two Iranian organizations have launched an international cartoon contest to make light of the Holocaust, following the decision of a controversial French satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo, to publish a caricature of Muslim Prophet Mohammed.

The competition was sponsored by Iran's House of Cartoon, which is affiliated with the municipality of Iranian capital Tehran, and the Sarcheshmeh Cultural Complex.

In a report published on newspaper Tehran Times, House of Cartoon director and contest secretary Masud Shojaei-Tabatabaii said the international competition will be done in protest against Charlie Hebdo's recent publication of a cartoon "insulting Prophet Muhammad."

The controversial caricature, which depicted a teary Prophet Mohammed holding a signage with the words "Je Suis Charlie" (I am Charlie) written on it, was published on Charlie Hebdo's frontpage following the fatal shooting of 11 of its staff members last January 7.

Entries to the cartoon contest will be received until April 1, according to Shojaei-Tabatabaii.

The same Tehran Times report said first place winners of the competition will receive $12,000 in cash. The placer will get $8000, while the third placer will win $5000.

Winning entries will likewise be displayed at the Palestine Museum of Contemporary Art in Tehran and several other locations in the Iranian capital.

According to French television network France 24, a similar cartoon contest to mock the Nazi genocide was also launched in 2006 by Iranian daily Hamshahri.

This earlier competition was held after Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten also published controversial caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed—one even depicting a bomb on the revered Muslim figure's head.

The United States, Israel and other Jewish organisations condemned this competition.