Turkish Authorities Detain Reporters for Suspected Cartoon Depicting Prophet Muhammad

A satirical magazine in Turkey, LeMan, faced significant backlash after publishing a cartoon perceived as depicting the Prophet Muhammad, a practice forbidden in Islam. In response, Turkish authorities detained the magazine’s editor-in-chief, graphic designer, institutional director, and cartoonist, with the interior minister condemning the drawing as “shameless.” LeMan denied that the cartoon was meant to mock Muhammad, stating that it did not refer to him in any way. The publication sparked protests in Istanbul, where riot police deployed to disperse the crowd with rubber bullets and tear gas. The Turkish Minister of Justice initiated an investigation for “publicly insulting religious values,” stating that such visual representations harm both religious values and societal peace. The minister threatened legal action against LeMan’s journalists, and arrest warrants were issued for other senior members of the magazine’s management. The cartoon, which features two winged characters in a city under siege, was interpreted as a depiction of Muhammad and other religious figures. LeMan apologized to hurt readers but defended its work, arguing that the cartoonist intended to portray the righteousness of oppressed Muslim people without intending to insult religious values. The magazine’s editor-in-chief, currently in Paris, dismissed the interpretation as malicious and drew parallels to the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attack, expressing concern over the implications of the backlash.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg11361q42o