Turkish authorities have launched a full-scale investigation into the prominent satirical magazine LeMan, resulting in the arrest of four staff members and a raid on its Istanbul office by furious protestors. The controversy erupted over a cartoon that critics claim depicted the Prophet Muhammad, sparking official condemnation and street-level violence in a potent clash over free speech and religious sanctities.
The legal and public backlash was swift after the cartoon gained traction on social media. Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced that the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had initiated an investigation against the magazine for "publicly denigrating religious values" under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code. As outrage spread online, groups gathered outside LeMan's office in the busy Beyoğlu district, with some forcibly entering the building and smashing windows. According to a report by T24, four individuals from the magazine were taken into custody following the raid and public outcry.
In a statement, LeMan vehemently denied that the illustration depicted the Prophet Muhammad. The magazine explained that the cartoon was a commentary on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, specifically Israeli bombardments. "This cartoon is not a Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) cartoon," the magazine clarified. "In the work, a Muslim man killed in Israeli bombardments is fictionally named Muhammed. More than 200 million people in the Islamic world are named Muhammed. There is no reference to the Prophet Muhammad in the work."
Despite the magazine's defense, the state response has been severe. The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued arrest warrants for six people, including the cartoonist D.P., a graphic designer, and senior editors. Four were detained and taken to Vatan Police Headquarters, while two senior editors are reportedly abroad. Highlighting the gravity with which the government is treating the case, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya shared a video of the arrested staff being led away in reverse handcuffs, vowing that "these shameless individuals will be held accountable before the law." Authorities also ordered the confiscation of the June 26th issue of the magazine and initiated proceedings to block access to its social media accounts.
The scene outside the magazine's office on Monday night was tense and volatile. Protestors broke down the door to the building, chanted "Allahu Akbar," and held evening prayers on İstiklal Avenue. A "Tawhid flag" (Flag of Monotheism) was hung on a building opposite the magazine's office. The leader of one ultranationalist group, the Great Eastern Raiders, was quoted making death threats, declaring, "We are ready to give life and to take life!" While condemning the cartoon as a "deliberate and systematic provocation," Istanbul Governor Davut Gül urged citizens to remain calm and "not fall for the provocateurs' game," warning that no one has the right to commit a crime.
Photo: T24