Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan The Caricature published in the popular satirical magazine Leman was sharply convicted, calling her “under provocation.”
The caricature, for which authorities claim to show MP Muhammad and Jewish Prophet, provoked fierce public reactions and initiated legal proceedings.
“We will not allow anyone to speak against our sacred values, no matter what,” Erdoğan said in television address, emphasizing that the judiciary will carefully monitor the process and would be a consequence for responsible.
He added: “Those who show disrespect towards our Prophet and other deputies, will answer before the law.”
The day before, the Turkish police arrested at least four caricaturists magazine Leman, who were accused of drawing and distributing a controversial illustration. The caricature shows, how is interpreted, Muslims and Jews – both with wings and halos – as they greet while bombs fall in the background.
The illustration became viral on social networks four days after publication, followed by protests. Hundreds of people gathered on the main tourist street in Istanbul, exclaiming “Allah is great” and referring to the introduction of Sharia law.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya called the caricature “provocation,” by adding that her authors “will avoid responsibility.” He pointed out that such facilities are not protected by freedom of expression or speech.
Turkey’s Ministry of Justice said an investigation was opened according to Article 216 of the Criminal Code, relating to the “public insult of religious values.”
On the other hand, the Leman magazine rejects the charges. In the statement, they stated that the caricature does not show MeHammed MPs, but symbolically displays Muslim named Muhammad who was killed in Israeli bombing. “The name Muhammad in the work does not apply to God’s deputies. There are more than 200 million people in the Islamic world. The drawing is conceived as critique of violence against Muslims, not as an insult of religious values,” lemans.
(Vijesti.ba)
