Charlie Hebdo staff held no prejudices, says ex-director

Satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was run by people "devoid of hate, of prejudice and was respectful of others", its former director and editor-in-chief has said.

Philippe Val, who headed the magazine between 1992 and 2009, described its work as "perfectly normal in a democracy" to BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis.

He praised its ability to discuss tragic subjects in a way that made readers laugh - a form of expression, he said, that the attackers hoped to eliminate.