Erdogan: Prophet cartoon is a provocation

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday condemned as a “vile provocation” a cartoon in a satirical magazine that appears to depict the prophets Muhammad and Moses, fueling an outcry from religious conservatives following the arrest of four cartoonists.

The controversial cartoon, published days after the end of a 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran, appears to show the Prophet Muhammad, a central figure in Islam, and Moses, one of the most important prophets in Judaism, shaking hands in the sky as missiles fly below in a war scene, Reuters reported.

It was criticized by religious conservatives and Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), which described the cartoon as an "Islamophobic hate crime." Leman magazine apologized to readers who felt offended, saying the cartoon had been misinterpreted.

"We will not allow anyone to speak against our sanctities," Erdogan said, adding that authorities would closely monitor the legal process.

"Those who show disrespect for our prophet and other prophets will be held accountable before the law," he said.

Four cartoonists from "Leman" were arrested late Monday.

Erdogan and his Islamist-leaning AKP are often criticized for what they call Islamophobic acts, both in secular Turkey and across Europe. Devout Muslims consider any depiction of the Prophet Muhammad blasphemous.

In a statement on the X network, "Leman" stated that "the work does not allude in any way to the Prophet Muhammad."

Cartoonist Dogan Pehlevan attempted, they claim, to point out "the suffering of a Muslim killed in Israeli attacks," and that there was no intention to insult Islam or its prophet.

The editorial board called on the authorities to stop what they called a smear campaign and to protect freedom of expression.

Several civil society organizations condemned the arrests as a violation of freedom of thought and expression.

Turkey ranks low on the freedom of expression scale due to restrictions imposed on the media and public discourse. Reporters Without Borders ranked Turkey 158th out of 180 countries in its 2024 Press Freedom Index, Reuters recalls.

Despite the ban on gatherings and the presence of a large number of police officers, more than 200 people gathered in central Istanbul yesterday to protest against "Leman".

One of the protesters, civil servant Muhamed Emin Neçipsoy, said the magazine's defense seemed disingenuous. "It subtly emphasizes both the Prophet Muhammad and the Prophet Moses," he said.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted a video on the X network late Monday showing police officers handcuffing Pehlevan and leading him up a flight of stairs. He also shared footage of three other men being taken from their homes and dragged into vans, one of whom was barefoot.

"The person who drew this vile picture, DP, has been detained. These shameless people will be held accountable before the law," the minister wrote.

The government announced that an investigation has been opened under an article of the criminal code relating to incitement of hatred and hostility.