The South Gauteng High Court on Thursday ruled in favour of the Mail & Guardian, following a late-night application to prevent the paper from being distributed on Friday.

A group of Muslim jurists and scholars asked the court for an interdict against the paper because of a Zapiro cartoon which depicts the prophet Muhammad.

Muhammad on the couch

In the cartoon, the prophet is shown lying on a psychologist's couch and speaking about how other prophets' followers have a sense of humour.

The cartoon relates to a Facebook page called "everybody draw Muhammad day", which has made international headlines for encouraging people to draw the prophet, even though it is forbidden by Islamic law.

However, the South Gauteng High Court found that the cartoon was already in the public domain as it had been published on the newspaper?s website.

"We are pleased that once again our courts and constitution has stood up for free speech and our right to publish," said Mail & Guardian's Editor in Chief, Nic Dawes.

Tweet updates

Dawes announced the news on Twitter at 2am on Friday morning, "For those of you still awake, we won, distribution of M&G with Zapiro cartoon continues."

Dawes made the point that Judge Mayat, who made the ruling, is a muslim.

Dawes wrote, "Music to my ears from Judge Mayat: as a judge and as a muslim I am bound by our constitution and the rules of our courts."

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