Danish cartoon editor wins free press prize

COPENHAGEN: The Danish newspaper editor who chose to publish controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005 was on Monday awarded a free press prize for his "determination and courage".

The Danish-based Free Press Society awarded Flemming Rose the inaugural international Sappho Prize, which comes with 20,000 kroner ($3,568).

The publication of the 12 cartoons in the daily Jyllands-Posten in September 2005 prompted an international storm.

Lars Hedegaard of the Free Press Society said the prize honoured a "journalist who combines excellence in his work with courage and a refusal to compromise".

Hedegaard compared the pressure placed on Rose and his newspaper to apologise for publishing the cartoons to those voices calling for the appeasement of Nazi Germany at the dawn of World War II.

"Decisive to our decision was Rose's courage to print the cartoons and to stand his ground under the worst storm any journalist has ever endured," Hedegaard said.

Rose declined to comment on the award but told reporters he was "thankful" for the recognition of his work.

Sappho is an ancient Greek poet from the island of Lesbos.

Hedegaard said her combination of traits that included being European, a woman, lesbian, as well as having a willingness to write her mind and a sense of political incorrectness, made her the best symbol for freeom of the press in an age when European values were threatened.