Latest news with #TurkishPenalCode
MTV Lebanon
2 days ago
- Politics
- MTV Lebanon
Turkey detains 4 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'. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at the magazine, describing it as 'a vile provocation'. 'It is a clear provocation disguised as humour, a vile provocation,' he said, also denouncing it as a 'hate crime', confirming authorities had taken over LeMan magazine and were taking legal action against it. 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 said 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.
Egypt Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Turkish police detain four cartoonists after image authorities say depicts the Prophet Mohammed sparks protests
CNN — Turkish police detained 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 story has been corrected to make clear the cartoonists have been detained and have not been officially put under arrest. This is a developing story and will be updated.
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
Türkiye detains cartoonists over 'satirical' drawing
Justice minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation had been launched under article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code, which criminalises incitement to hatred and enmity, and that detention orders had been issued for four people in total. In its statement on X, Leman magazine apologised to readers who felt offended and said the cartoon had been misunderstood. It said Pehlevan had sought to highlight 'the suffering of a Muslim man killed in Israeli attacks', and that there was no intent to insult Islam or its prophet. '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,' the magazine said, calling some interpretations 'deliberately malicious'. Leman also urged judicial authorities to act against what it called a smear campaign, and asked security forces to protect freedom of expression. Earlier in the evening, video footage on social media showed a group of protesters marching to Leman's office building in central Istanbul, chanting slogans and kicking its entrance doors. Türkiye's ranking for freedom of expression is consistently low, reflecting significant restrictions on media and public discourse. Reporters Without Borders ranks Türkiye 158th out of 180 countries in its 2024 Press Freedom Index.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Vile and ugly humor': Turkey detains cartoonist over Prophet Muhammad drawing
A Turkish cartoonist has been arrested for a drawing that sparked anger on the streets and forced a country to face its long-running struggle with free speech. On Monday, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the arrest of Dogan Pehlevan, identified by his initials DP, posting a video on X showing officers handcuffing him and leading him away. '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.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Turkey detains cartoonists over satirical drawing allegedly depicting prophets
Turkish authorities on Monday (June 30, 2025) detained three cartoonists over a satirical drawing published by weekly magazine Leman that seemed to depict Prophets Moses and Muhammad shaking hands in the sky, while missiles flew below in a scene resembling war. The cartoon, widely seen as a commentary on religious harmony in contrast to conflict on Earth, drew strong condemnation from government officials and religious conservatives. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya shared a video on X showing police officers detaining cartoonist Dogan Pehlevan and dragging him up the stairs of a building with his hands cuffed behind his back. "I once again curse those who try to sow discord by drawing caricatures of our Prophet Muhammad," Mr. Yerlikaya wrote. "The individual who drew this vile image, D.P., has been apprehended and taken into custody. These shameless people will be held accountable before the law." Mr. Yerlikaya later posted two other videos, showing two other men being laid on the ground and forcibly taken from their homes, as policemen dragged them into vans— one of them walking barefoot. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said an investigation had been launched under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code, which criminalises incitement to hatred and enmity, and that detention orders had been issued for six people in total. In its statement on X, the Leman magazine apologised to readers who felt offended and said the cartoon had been misunderstood. It said Mr. Pehlevan had sought to highlight "the suffering of a Muslim man killed in Israeli attacks", and that there was no intent to insult Islam or its prophet. "The name Muhammad is among the most widely used in the world by Muslims honoring the Prophet. The cartoon does not depict the Prophet and was not drawn to mock religious values," the magazine said, calling some interpretations "deliberately malicious." Leman also urged judicial authorities to act against what it called a smear campaign, and asked security forces to protect freedom of expression. Earlier in the evening, video footage on social media showed a group of protesters marching to Leman's office building in central Istanbul, chanting slogans and kicking its entrance doors. Turkey's ranking for freedom of expression is consistently low, reflecting significant restrictions on media and public discourse. Reporters Without Borders ranks Turkey 158th out of 180 countries in its 2024 Press Freedom Index.
