In an interview with Global Legal Post, Professor Dershowitz said: 'Religion needs blasphemy in order to change. Blasphemy is what Jesus did, what Martin Luther did. I suspect Islam will change.' He believes that the particular issue under focus through the Charlie Hebdo satiricla magazine, eight of whose journalists were killed last week - the depiction of Mohammad - will stop being unacceptable among non-Muslims. 'The biggest problem at the moment is that Islam is telling people who are outside of its religion what to do.' 

Moderation

In an autobiographical work, 'Taking the Stand', the professor - who has defended a string of famous clients including Claus von Bulow and Patty Hearst - described how he developed his thinking on issues including freedom of speech and censorship. Asked by Global Legal Post if he saw practical reasons to detect a change of view over the portrayal of the prophet, he said: 'We are seeing more and more moderate Muslims saying that this [setting the rules for non-Muslims] is outrageous.’