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Public Outrage: Erdoğan Condemns Offensive Caricature Depicting the Prophet
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned on Tuesday the satirical cartoons published by the Turkish magazine "Leman," which appeared to depict prophets, describing them as "a vile provocation." He stated that Turkish authorities will closely monitor legal procedures against those responsible for doing so, emphasizing the importance of protecting sacred religious values.
In a televised statement, Erdoğan said, "We will not allow anyone to insult our sacred values, no matter the circumstances. Those who show disrespect toward our Prophet and other prophets will bear legal responsibility."
His remarks came a day after Turkish authorities arrested four cartoonists following the publication of a cartoon that appeared to show Prophet Moses and Prophet Muhammad shaking hands in heaven, with missiles flying in the background, creating a scene reminiscent of a war.
Turkey’s police, according to a video posted by Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya on the X platform, arrested cartoonist Doğan Beliavan, who was shown being pulled from the stairs of a building with his hands handcuffed.
The Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an official investigation into what they've described as an “offensive cartoon targeting religious values,” in response to both official and popular outrage, especially after the magazine’s condemnation of the drawing in the media.
As part of the investigation, four members of the "Leman" editorial team, including the magazine's editor-in-chief, have been detained on charges of "public insult to religious values." The police are also pursuing the magazine's owner and its editor-in-chief, who reside outside Turkey, while tracking the editor within the country.
In reaction, the magazine’s editorial board issued a statement apologizing for the potential offense, stressing that the cartoon was misunderstood and aimed to highlight the suffering of a Muslim man killed in Israeli attacks, with no intention of insulting Islam or the Prophet.
"Leman" called on Turkish authorities to oppose what it described as a "smear campaign" and urged security forces to protect freedom of expression as a fundamental human right.
