In our “new, open and interconnected world” press cartoonists (who are at the same time journalists, artists and comedians – don’t forget it!) are always the target!

The New York Times case is a textbook example that crystalises all the difficulties facing the profession: political, economic and religious censorship, moral sensitivities overwhelmed by the polemic on social networks, and the surrender of some press outlets to the storm…

While we live in a world of images, has the art of satire and impertinence – which is at the very heart of press cartoons – become more difficult today than in the past? This is a very serious matter: we need to “relearn how to laugh” in order to face the evils of our time and our fragile democracies with distance, intelligence and critical thinking.

Press cartoonists help us to do this… but are we, the readers, up to the challenge of freedom of expression?