'Vile and ugly humor': Turkey detains cartoonist over Prophet Muhammad drawing
'The individual who drew this vile image, D.P., has been apprehended and taken into custody,' Yerlikaya wrote. 'These shameless people will be held accountable before the law.'
Cartoon triggers outrage and stone-throwing
The drawing appeared in Istanbul's
Leman magazine
. It showed the Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Moses exchanging greetings high in the sky while missiles rained down below. Some read it as a message about religious unity above earthly wars. Many others saw it as deeply offensive.
Play Video
Pause
Skip Backward
Skip Forward
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
0:00
Loaded
:
0%
0:00
Stream Type
LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
1x
Playback Rate
Chapters
Chapters
Descriptions
descriptions off
, selected
Captions
captions settings
, opens captions settings dialog
captions off
, selected
Audio Track
default
, selected
Picture-in-Picture
Fullscreen
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text
Color
White
Black
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Text Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Transparent
Caption Area Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Transparent
Semi-Transparent
Opaque
Font Size
50%
75%
100%
125%
150%
175%
200%
300%
400%
Text Edge Style
None
Raised
Depressed
Uniform
Drop shadow
Font Family
Proportional Sans-Serif
Monospace Sans-Serif
Proportional Serif
Monospace Serif
Casual
Script
Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values
Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You
Villas In Dubai | Search Ads
Get Quote
Undo
A group of young men, linked to an Islamist organisation, gathered outside Leman's headquarters soon after publication. They hurled stones at the building. Videos spread across social media showed protesters kicking the doors of Leman's office in central Istanbul and later clashing with police outside a nearby bar popular with staff.
Government calls it insult to religion
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc wasted no time. He said an investigation had been launched under Article 216 of the
Turkish Penal Code
. The law covers incitement to hatred and enmity.
Live Events
Tunc said, 'Cartoons or drawings depicting the Prophet harmed religious sensitivities and social harmony.' He added, 'No freedom grants the right to make the sacred values of a belief a subject of humour in an ugly way.'
The Istanbul chief prosecutor also ordered the arrest of Leman's editors-in-chief and managing editor. In total, six people face possible charges of 'publicly
insulting religious values
.'
Leman says cartoon misunderstood
Facing growing anger, Leman posted a statement on X defending its cartoon. The magazine apologised to readers who felt offended but argued the drawing was taken out of context.
It said Pehlevan's intention was to show 'the suffering of a Muslim man killed in Israeli attacks.' The statement read, 'The name Muhammad is among the most widely used in the world by Muslims honouring the Prophet. The cartoon does not depict the Prophet and was not drawn to mock religious values.' Leman described some interpretations as 'deliberately malicious' and urged the courts to protect freedom of expression.
Echoes of Charlie Hebdo
The fierce reaction reminded many of the 2015 attack on France's Charlie Hebdo. Two French-born Algerian brothers, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, stormed the Paris offices after the satirical weekly published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. They killed 12 people. Another attacker, Amedy Coulibaly, shot dead a policewoman and four Jewish hostages before dying in a gun battle.
This Turkish case has reopened wounds. It also shines a light on a country where press freedom remains fragile. Reporters Without Borders ranks Turkey 158th out of 180 in its 2024 Press Freedom Index.
The lines between offence and expression, faith and satire, feel blurred once again. For some in Turkey, the cartoon crossed a line. For others, its violent fallout is a sign that public discourse remains under pressure.
One drawing. Three cartoonists in jail. Editors under arrest orders. Protesters on the streets. In today's Turkey, ink still holds power.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
Madan apologises for rape remark, Manas sparks row with ‘small incident' comment
1 2 3 Kolkata: Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra on Tuesday replied to the show-cause notice issued to him by Trinamool and apologised for his remarks on the gang-rape at a south Kolkata law college last week. Creating a fresh controversy, however, state irrigation minister Manas Bhunia made a comment about "small incidents" in Bengal. Speaking at a blood donation drive organised at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital, Bhunia said: "The terrorists who killed 26 of our countrymen haven't been arrested yet. But even a small incident in Bengal creates a huge uproar. Incidents take place everywhere. Husbands are killing wives, and wives are pushing husbands off cliffs. These are crises of society. But our chief minister handles all situations with motherly care. " He added: "Don't pay attention to what anyone is saying. Move forward with Mamata Banerjee's ideals." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata As he left the programme, the minister was asked what "small incident" he was referring to and replied: "All of it." BJP came down heavily on the minister's comments, with the party's Bengal co-minder Amit Malviya saying Trinamool netas were trying to earn "brownie points" by trying to "normalise a rape". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like How Much Does a Bali Vacation Really Cost? Liseer Learn More Undo "Now, State Irrigation Minister Manas Bhunia, another face of this depraved regime, brushed off the atrocity as a "small incident" and urged party workers to ignore it and move forward — drawing strength from Mamata Banerjee's silence and tacit approval," he wrote on X. Calling this "the culture of Trinamool", Bengal BJP general secretary Agnimitra Paul said, "Whether it is the Hanskhali girl, or Kasba woman, they have blamed the victim instead of the criminals." Later in the day, Bhunia held a press conference and said: "My words are being distorted. If necessary, I will take legal action. I did not mention the place at all. I never called that crime a minor one. I was talking about incidents in the health sector." TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh, too, said the minister's comments were twisted by a section of the media. In a post on X, Trinamool said: "BJP4India has launched a full-scale smear campaign. An excerpt from Shri @ManasB_Official's speech has been maliciously taken out of context, misquoted, and circulated to mislead viewers... Shri Manas Bhunia has issued a strong clarification, unequivocally condemning the incident and exposing BJP's desperate, deceitful narrative. BJP should know that defamation has consequences. No matter how loud the lies, truth will prevail." The party also uploaded a 3-minute clip of the minister's entire speech. Earlier, Mitra responded via WhatsApp to the show-cause notice sent by Trinamool president Subrata Bakshi. He wrote that he would remain eternally loyal to the Mamata Banerjee. "As long as I live, I will be with Trinamool Congress. I apologise and express regret if any of my comments have caused discomfort to the party. However, I request the party to review the complete or unedited video of my statement before making a comprehensive judgment and analysis," he wrote. Mitra had said the gang-rape "sent a message to all girls" that if someone called on a day when college was closed, "don't go". Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
Shipwreck off Kerala coast: Plea seeks arrest of ship against $134-million damage claim
Kochi: A petition has been filed in high court seeking a directive to arrest any vessel of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) currently within Indian admiralty jurisdiction, to secure a maritime claim of $134 million for the damage caused by the capsizing of the cargo vessel MSC ELSA 3 off Kerala coast. The public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Charles George, president of Kerala Fish Workers Coordination Committee and Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Union, has been adjourned to Wednesday by the bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji for consideration along with related petitions. The Liberian-flagged MSC ELSA 3 sank approximately 14.6 nautical miles off Alappuzha coast on May 25. The petitioner submitted that the incident has triggered catastrophic ecological, economic and legal consequences. The continued presence of hazardous containers and bunker oil poses severe risks to Kerala's marine biodiversity, particularly during the monsoon fish spawning season protected under the trawling ban. Oil sardines, a vital source of income for Kerala's coastal fishermen, are at risk of extinction due to this maritime disaster. He also prayed for a directive to MSC to initiate and complete urgent wreck removal operations of the sunken vessel MSC ELSA 3 in a strict time-bound manner. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The petition further sought a directive to the shipping company to deposit an amount of $134 million with the high court registry as security for future compensation to be awarded to the affected stakeholders, including the local fishing community, environmental agencies and state govt, in proportion to the environmental and economic damage caused by the incident. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
New EC rules may pave way for exclusion, manipulation: TMC
1 2 3 Kolkata: Days after CM Mamata Banerjee raised objections to the Election Commission's (EC's) new voter roll guidelines, a five-member Trinamool delegation on Tuesday met EC officials at the poll body's headquarters in Delhi and submitted a memorandum outlining multiple concerns, and said the new directives could pave way for exclusion and manipulation of voter lists ahead of the 2026 assembly elections in Bengal. The delegation included Kalyan Banerjee, Firhad Hakim, Chandrima Bhattacharya, Arup Biswas and Prakashchik Baraik. At the meeting, it questioned recent circulars mandating birth certificates of voters' parents and other documents as part of the special summary revision. The party called the directive "impractical" and potentially exclusionary. Addressing the media after the meeting, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said, "The EC claims the motive is to ensure no voter is left behind, but the circulars imply the opposite — eligibility is being prioritised over inclusion. We made it clear that those who were voters in 2024 should continue to remain on the rolls. The EC assured us that voters already enrolled will not be removed arbitrarily." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata On the requirement of birth certificates for those born between 1987 and 2003, Banerjee said EC clarified that such documents would not be mandatory for already-enrolled voters. He added that any new additions would be subject to verification but not on the basis of one document alone. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Don't Bother With An Expensive Will (Do This Instead) Local Will Finder Undo TMC also raised concerns about voters being added in bulk suddenly just before the elections, especially individuals aged between 50 and 60 years. The party alleged that this had occurred in Delhi, Maharashtra and Haryana. Banerjee said the party had asked EC for a cut-off for inclusion of such voters and sought a mechanism by which political parties are allowed to verify voters being added. "We are not against new voters but they should be legitimate and within the 18-21 age-group. The inclusion of thousands of older voters compromises the process," he added. On Aadhaar linking and submission of photos at the booth level, TMC said it objected to what it described as a breach of privacy. According to the delegation, EC officials said Aadhaar linking was voluntary and that it would review the process to safeguard identity data. Bengal minister and Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim alleged that central forces often enter polling booths and influence voters. "We have asked that if central forces are deployed, state police are also present for balance. No force should enter the actual voting area unless there's unrest," he said. The TMC delegation also flagged delays in publication of voter turnout data and raised concerns about institutional neutrality, citing the Bengal governor's visits to politically-sensitive areas during elections. It also demanded action against Union home minister Amit Shah for making a political speech during an official programme ahead of a bypoll. "EC said they would examine the issue," said Hakim. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
