 On 6 January 2006 , the Regional Public Prosecutor in Viborg discontinued the investigation as he found no basis for concluding that the cartoons constituted a criminal offence because the publication concerned a subject of public interest and Danish case law extends editorial freedom to journalists regarding subjects of public interest . He stated that in assessing what constitutes an offence , the right to freedom of speech must be taken into consideration , and said that freedom of speech must be exercised with the necessary respect for other human rights , including the right to protection against discrimination , insult and degradation . In a new hearing resulting from a complaint about the original decision , the Director of Public Prosecutors in Denmark agreed with the previous ruling . 
