Turkish police have detained at least four cartoonists from the satirical magazine LeMan over a cartoon that authorities and protesters claim depicts the Prophet Mohammed and Moses. The cartoon shows two men, one Muslim and one Jewish, with wings and halos, shaking hands as bombs fall around them.
Despite the magazine’s explanation that the cartoon was meant to highlight the plight of Muslims killed in Israel’s bombardments, protesters took to the streets, chanting “Allah is Great” and calling for sharia law.
The Turkish government swiftly condemned the magazine, with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya labeling the cartoon a provocation. Yerlikaya emphasized that those responsible would be held accountable, stating, “Who dare to do this will be held accountable before the law.”
Fahrettin Altun, head of communications for the Turkish Presidency, described the cartoon as a “vile attack on our beliefs and values”. The Justice Ministry launched an investigation under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code for publicly insulting religious values.
LeMan magazine released a statement clarifying that their cartoon was not intended to depict the Prophet Mohammed. “This cartoon is not a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed,” the magazine said. “In the work, the name Mohammed is fictionalized as belonging to a Muslim person killed in Israel’s bombardments.”
The magazine added that the cartoon aimed to highlight the righteousness of the oppressed Muslim people without belittling religious values. Despite this explanation, the protesters remained unconvinced, with one demonstrator shouting, “For our Prophet, we would give our lives and take lives; no one can insult our Prophet”.
Videos shared by the Interior Ministry showed the cartoonists being detained in their homes, barefoot and handcuffed, with captions like “You will not escape from our security forces or from justice”. Protesters clashed with police, kicking the doors of the magazine’s offices in central Istanbul. Within hours, Istanbul’s governor, Davut Gul, announced that the four wanted individuals were in police custody. Gul urged protesters to disperse to prevent harm to citizens and maintain public order.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with the Justice Ministry vowing to hold those responsible accountable. As the situation unfolds, some groups have called for further protests against the magazine. The incident highlights the complex and sensitive nature of free speech and religious expression in Turkey.