Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned a satirical magazine over accusations that it published a cartoon depicting the Islamic prophet Mohammed, branding the image as a “vile provocation.”
“It is a clear provocation disguised as humor,” Erdogan said on Tuesday, July 1. He denounced the cartoon as a “hate crime.”
In his statement, Erdogan warned of legal repercussions for those involved: “Those who are insolent towards our prophet and other prophets will be held accountable before the law.”
The controversy centers on LeMan, a Turkish weekly satire magazine. The publication has denied the accusation. The editor-in-chief insisted the illustration in question had “nothing to do with the Prophet Mohammed.”
Erdogan announced that all copies of the latest issue had been seized and confirmed that legal proceedings were underway against the publication. The crackdown escalated when police arrested four senior staff members, with arrest warrants reportedly issued for several others connected to the magazine.
