Latest news with #din
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Turkish cartoonists arrested over satirical drawing allegedly depicting prophet Muhammad
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned as a 'vile provocation' a cartoon in a satirical magazine that appeared to depict Prophets Mohammad and Moses, amplifying an outcry by religious conservatives after the arrest of four cartoonists. In a statement on X, LeMan said: 'The work does not refer to the Prophet Muhammad in any way'
Al Jazeera
2 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Turkiye detains four over cartoon allegedly depicting Abrahamic prophets
Police in Turkiye have detained four people over a cartoon published by the satirical magazine LeMan, which critics say appeared to depict Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Moses shaking hands in the sky as missiles fell below in a war-like scene – a claim the magazine denies. The cartoon, published last week, triggered a backlash from government officials and religious groups in Turkiye. On Tuesday, the Istanbul chief public prosecutor's office announced a formal investigation under charges of 'openly insulting religious values'. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted a video on X showing the arrest of cartoonist Dogan Pehlevan on Monday. 'I strongly condemn the shameless caricaturing of our Prophet,' Yerlikaya said. 'This is not press freedom. This is not freedom of expression. These provocative acts, which insult our sacred values and deeply hurt Muslim consciences, will not go unpunished.' He added that a total of six detention orders had been issued. Two people who were overseas have yet to be arrested. Yerlikaya also said the magazine's graphic designer and two other senior staffers were detained, along with the cartoonist. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc confirmed the investigation is proceeding under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code, which criminalises 'incitement to hatred and enmity'. In a statement posted on X, LeMan apologised to readers who were offended but insisted the cartoon had been misinterpreted. The magazine said Pehlevan aimed to highlight 'the suffering of a Muslim man killed in Israeli attacks' and denied any attempt to mock Islam. 'The name Muhammad is among the most common in the Muslim world in honour of the Prophet. The cartoon does not portray him, nor was it intended to disrespect religious beliefs,' the magazine said, accusing critics of wilfully distorting its message. LeMan urged authorities to investigate what it described as a targeted smear campaign and called for stronger protection of press freedom. Later in the evening, videos surfaced online of crowds of protesters marching to LeMan's office in Istanbul, kicking the building's doors and chanting slogans. The case has reignited debates in Turkiye over the boundaries of free expression and religious sensitivity.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Turkish police arrest four cartoonists after image authorities say depicts the Prophet Mohammed sparks protests
Turkish police arrested at least four cartoonists on Monday accused of drawing and distributing a cartoon that authorities and protesters say is a depiction of the Prophet Mohammed and Moses. The cartoon, published in a political satire magazine, shows what appears to be a Muslim and a Jewish man, both with wings and halos, shaking hands and greeting each other as bombs fall below. The cartoon went viral on social media four days after it was published. Hundreds of people took to Istanbul's main tourist street, chanting 'Allah is Great' and calling for sharia law in protest. Turkish authorities quickly condemned the magazine. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya called the cartoon a provocation and said those 'who dare to do this will be held accountable before the law.' Yerlikaya said the cartoon was not protected by freedom of expression or freedom of speech. Fahrettin Altun, the head communications for the Turkish Presidency, called it a 'vile attack on our beliefs and values.' The country's Justice Ministry announced an investigation had been launched into the incident under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code for the crime of 'publicly insulting religious values.' LeMan, the weekly political satire magazine known for irreverent comics similar to French Charlie Hebdo, released a statement saying their cartoon was not depicting the Islamic prophet. 'This cartoon is not a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). In the work, the name Mohammed is fictionalized as belonging to a Muslim person killed in Israel's bombardments. There are more than 200 million people named Mohammed in the Islamic world. The work does not refer to the Prophet Mohammed in any way,' the magazine said. 'By highlighting a murdered Muslim, the aim was to highlight the righteousness of the oppressed Muslim people, with no intention whatsoever of belittling religious values. We reject the stigma imposed on us, as there is no depiction of our Prophet,' LeMan said. 'To interpret the cartoon in such a way requires extreme malice,' the magazine added, but also offered an apology to any readers who may have been offended. As protesters took to the streets, the Interior Ministry released videos of cartoonists being detained in their homes, barefoot and handcuffed by police with captions such as 'You will not escape from our security forces or from justice.' Protesters were seen kicking the doors of the magazine offices in central Istanbul. In one video a demonstrator shouts, 'For our Prophet, we would give our lives and take lives; no one can insult our Prophet.' The crowd also performed a nighttime prayer. Within hours, Istanbul's governor Davut Gul announced that all four people who were wanted for the cartoon were in police custody. Gul did not say if any demonstrators were detained but said in a statement, 'It has been determined that some individuals mingling among the protesters have engaged in provocative actions. It is of great importance that the protesting groups disperse to prevent harm to our citizens and to maintain public order.' Some groups have called for further protests against the magazine on Tuesday. This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Turkish police arrest four cartoonists after image authorities say depicts the Prophet Mohammed sparks protests
Turkish police arrested at least four cartoonists on Monday accused of drawing and distributing a cartoon that authorities and protesters say is a depiction of the Prophet Mohammed and Moses. The cartoon, published in a political satire magazine, shows what appears to be a Muslim and a Jewish man, both with wings and halos, shaking hands and greeting each other as bombs fall below. The cartoon went viral on social media four days after it was published. Hundreds of people took to Istanbul's main tourist street, chanting 'Allah is Great' and calling for sharia law in protest. Turkish authorities quickly condemned the magazine. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya called the cartoon a provocation and said those 'who dare to do this will be held accountable before the law.' Yerlikaya said the cartoon was not protected by freedom of expression or freedom of speech. Fahrettin Altun, the head communications for the Turkish Presidency, called it a 'vile attack on our beliefs and values.' The country's Justice Ministry announced an investigation had been launched into the incident under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code for the crime of 'publicly insulting religious values.' LeMan, the weekly political satire magazine known for irreverent comics similar to French Charlie Hebdo, released a statement saying their cartoon was not depicting the Islamic prophet. 'This cartoon is not a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). In the work, the name Mohammed is fictionalized as belonging to a Muslim person killed in Israel's bombardments. There are more than 200 million people named Mohammed in the Islamic world. The work does not refer to the Prophet Mohammed in any way,' the magazine said. 'By highlighting a murdered Muslim, the aim was to highlight the righteousness of the oppressed Muslim people, with no intention whatsoever of belittling religious values. We reject the stigma imposed on us, as there is no depiction of our Prophet,' LeMan said. 'To interpret the cartoon in such a way requires extreme malice,' the magazine added, but also offered an apology to any readers who may have been offended. As protesters took to the streets, the Interior Ministry released videos of cartoonists being detained in their homes, barefoot and handcuffed by police with captions such as 'You will not escape from our security forces or from justice.' Protesters were seen kicking the doors of the magazine offices in central Istanbul. In one video a demonstrator shouts, 'For our Prophet, we would give our lives and take lives; no one can insult our Prophet.' The crowd also performed a nighttime prayer. Within hours, Istanbul's governor Davut Gul announced that all four people who were wanted for the cartoon were in police custody. Gul did not say if any demonstrators were detained but said in a statement, 'It has been determined that some individuals mingling among the protesters have engaged in provocative actions. It is of great importance that the protesting groups disperse to prevent harm to our citizens and to maintain public order.' Some groups have called for further protests against the magazine on Tuesday. This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Turkish police arrest four cartoonists after image authorities say depicts the Prophet Mohammed sparks protests
Turkish police arrested at least four cartoonists on Monday accused of drawing and distributing a cartoon that authorities and protesters say is a depiction of the Prophet Mohammed and Moses. The cartoon, published in a political satire magazine, shows what appears to be a Muslim and a Jewish man, both with wings and halos, shaking hands and greeting each other as bombs fall below. The cartoon went viral on social media four days after it was published. Hundreds of people took to Istanbul's main tourist street, chanting 'Allah is Great' and calling for sharia law in protest. Turkish authorities quickly condemned the magazine. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya called the cartoon a provocation and said those 'who dare to do this will be held accountable before the law.' Yerlikaya said the cartoon was not protected by freedom of expression or freedom of speech. Fahrettin Altun, the head communications for the Turkish Presidency, called it a 'vile attack on our beliefs and values.' The country's Justice Ministry announced an investigation had been launched into the incident under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code for the crime of 'publicly insulting religious values.' LeMan, the weekly political satire magazine known for irreverent comics similar to French Charlie Hebdo, released a statement saying their cartoon was not depicting the Islamic prophet. 'This cartoon is not a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). In the work, the name Mohammed is fictionalized as belonging to a Muslim person killed in Israel's bombardments. There are more than 200 million people named Mohammed in the Islamic world. The work does not refer to the Prophet Mohammed in any way,' the magazine said. 'By highlighting a murdered Muslim, the aim was to highlight the righteousness of the oppressed Muslim people, with no intention whatsoever of belittling religious values. We reject the stigma imposed on us, as there is no depiction of our Prophet,' LeMan said. 'To interpret the cartoon in such a way requires extreme malice,' the magazine added, but also offered an apology to any readers who may have been offended. As protesters took to the streets, the Interior Ministry released videos of cartoonists being detained in their homes, barefoot and handcuffed by police with captions such as 'You will not escape from our security forces or from justice.' Protesters were seen kicking the doors of the magazine offices in central Istanbul. In one video a demonstrator shouts, 'For our Prophet, we would give our lives and take lives; no one can insult our Prophet.' The crowd also performed a nighttime prayer. Within hours, Istanbul's governor Davut Gul announced that all four people who were wanted for the cartoon were in police custody. Gul did not say if any demonstrators were detained but said in a statement, 'It has been determined that some individuals mingling among the protesters have engaged in provocative actions. It is of great importance that the protesting groups disperse to prevent harm to our citizens and to maintain public order.' Some groups have called for further protests against the magazine on Tuesday. This is a developing story and will be updated.
