Or does his status as a prophet prohibit this? And if the canon of Islam does prohibit it, how about the community at large? Have there been sects within the religion that permitted or encouraged ridicule of Jesus?
It just appears to me that from Dante to Charlie Hebdo the depictions have been pretty one sided, but I don't know too much about Islam.
Also, please note that I am not commenting on it being right or wrong one way or another within the framework of this question.
It is explicitly prohibited in Islam to slander or disbelieve in a prophet or messenger. To disbelieve in Jesus or even insult him out of true hate and in a non-joking way is considered to take you out the folds of Islam and to make one a disbeliever.
It is amongst the 6 articles of faith in Islam that in order to be Muslim, one must have:
1 - belief in Allah (also the Tawheed, or oneness of Allah) 2 - belief in the Angels ('Malaikatihi') 3 - belief in the Holy books ('Kutubihi') 4 - belief in the Prophets ('Rusulihi') 5 - belief in the last day ('yawm al-Akhir') 6 - belief in divine preordainment ('qadar')
Thus, to slight, slander, or insult Jesus would be considered clear evidence of blasphemy and apostasy, and at the very least, the person is considerd to have left Islam.
As for insulting Jesus in the presence of Muslims, the reaction would be just as severe as insulting Prophet Muhammad sw. Not only is he considered a Prophet of Allah, he is even declared as being amongst the most exalted of those amongst the ranks of Allah's numerous prophets and messengers.
Jesus is even mentioned more in the Quran than Prophet Muhammad sw himself, and not a single one of those times is he ever shown in even the most slightest negative way, and is instead represented as pure, holy, and almost as near-divine as any man can get. This just goes to show you how high a figure he is, and how severe a reaction one could incur at insulting him in the presence of everyday Muslims.
It is also expected that one must say 'alayhi salaam', meaning 'peace be upon him', upon mentioning his name, as for all other prophets.
*I am speaking for the dominant Orthodox Islam (Sunni Islam). As for the minority sects, like the Shia, I am totally unknowledgable. But even if there were any 'sects' that insult him, they would be considered apostates and non-Muslims by the Islamic scholarly consensus and the Sharia. If a true Islamic country - defined as one which upholds the sharia - were to exist, it would be incumbent to wage war upon them and execute any of them if they do not recant.