Turkish authority detains journalists over controversial cartoon
(MENAFN) Authorities in Turkey have arrested four staff members of a satirical publication following the release of a cartoon that appears to depict the Prophet Muhammad, a figure whose visual representation is prohibited in Islam.
The country’s interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, condemned the magazine’s illustration as “shameless” and confirmed the detention of the editor-in-chief, graphic designer, institutional director, and cartoonist.
The magazine, LeMan, denied that the cartoon was meant to portray the Prophet Muhammad, stating on social media platform X that “the work does not refer to the Prophet Muhammed in any way.”
Riot police were deployed in Istanbul as hundreds gathered in protest outside LeMan’s offices, chanting slogans like “tooth for tooth, blood for blood, revenge, revenge.” A reporter from a major news agency observed security forces using rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Turkey’s justice minister announced that the chief public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into allegations of “publicly insulting religious values.”
“The caricature or any form of visual representation of our Prophet not only harms our religious values but also damages societal peace,” the minister wrote on X, adding that “necessary legal steps will be taken without delay” against the magazine’s journalists.
Interior Minister Yerlikaya shared videos of the arrests, describing the cartoon as a “vile drawing.” Additional arrest warrants have been issued for other senior members of the magazine’s leadership.
The controversial cartoon circulating online depicts two winged figures floating above a city under siege. One character says, “Peace be upon you, I’m Muhammed,” while the other replies, “Peace be upon you, I’m Musa.”
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
