Turkey arrests 4 satirical magazine staff for inciting ‘public hatred' with cartoon
The cartoon, published in the weekly LeMan magazine, sparked a backlash from government officials and religious groups, culminating in protests outside the magazine's Istanbul offices. Authorities claim that the cartoon violates laws against provoking hostility and social divisions.
The magazine denies the allegations.
In a statement, LeMan said the illustration portrays a Muslim named Muhammad, not the Prophet, and was intended to highlight the suffering of Muslims during armed conflict.
On Wednesday, a court in Istanbul ordered four staff — LeMan's cartoonist Dogan Pehlevan, Editor-in-Chief Zafer Aknar, graphic designer Cebrail Okcu, and manager Ali Yavuz — be detained in custody pending a trial, TRT television reported.
Authorities have also issued warrants for two editors believed to be abroad, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
Footage released by the Interior Ministry earlier this week showed some of the detainees, including Pehlevan and Yavuz, being forcibly taken from their homes with their hands cuffed behind their backs.
The pro-government Yeni Safak newspaper said the cartoon showed 'two figures alleged to be Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Moses — with wings and halos — shaking hands in the sky, while a war scene unfolds below with bombs raining down.' The independent Birgun newspaper said the winged figures hovering in the sky were interpreted by some as Prophets Muhammad and Moses.
LeMan has apologized to readers for any offence caused by the cartoon, but maintains that the drawing was misinterpreted. It has also asked judicial authorities to defend freedom of expression and shield its staff from ongoing threats.
The cartoon triggered protests outside the magazine's Istanbul office, with demonstrators — reportedly from an Islamist organization -- throwing rocks at the building. Tensions flared again Tuesday, with dozens staging a demonstration following noon prayers at a mosque in central Istanbul.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called the cartoon a 'clear provocation disguised as humor' and vowed that 'those who insult the Prophet and other messengers will be held accountable before the law.'
Ozgur Ozel, the leader of Turkey's main opposition, however, expressed support to the magazine, stating that he does not consider the cartoon to be depicting the prophet.
'I see an angel who died in a bombardment in Gaza, with a halo and wings, who encounters another angel also killed by a bomb. They meet each other in the sky,' he said.
Ozel added: 'I will not allow any disrespect to the Prophet Muhammad, but I won't remain silent toward a social lynching based on a non-existent disrespect.'
The incident has reignited debate about press freedom in Turkey, which ranks 159th out of 180 countries in the 2025 Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index. Critics argue that laws intended to curb hate speech are increasingly being used to silence dissenting voices.
__
Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Trump's Ukraine weapons freeze is GOP coalition management
A few weeks ago, President Donald Trump devastated the anti-interventionists in his political base by not only condoning Israel's assault on Iran but ultimately joining in with the U.S. Air Force. Traditional Republican advocates of muscular foreign policy exulted. But this week, Trump disappointed hawks by freezing shipments of key weapons to a different American ally, Ukraine, as it resists Russia's invasion.


Bloomberg
an hour ago
- Bloomberg
UN Atomic Watchdog Exits Iran, Deepening Inspections Blackout
The United Nations atomic watchdog is said to have pulled its last remaining inspectors out of Iran following the implementation of a new law that criminalizes international monitoring, deepening the blackout over Tehran's nuclear program. The last International Atomic Energy Agency specialists were safely withdrawn from Tehran on Friday to the Vienna-based agency, according to a western diplomat, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive information. It's the first time since Iran began enriching uranium two decades ago that IAEA monitors — who conducted almost 500 inspections in the Islamic Republic last year — have been expelled from the country.

Wall Street Journal
an hour ago
- Wall Street Journal
U.N. Pulls Nuclear Inspectors Out of Iran for Safety Reasons
The United Nations atomic agency is pulling its inspectors out of Iran over safety concerns, severing the link between the agency and Tehran, which earlier this week suspended cooperation with the international monitor, according to people familiar with the matter. The International Atomic Energy Agency's team of inspectors were driven by road out of Iran on Friday despite international departures from Iran's main airports resuming normal operations in the wake of a 12-day conflict with Israel, two of the people said.