Turkey Jails Four LeMan Staff Over Prophet Cartoon

Turkish authorities have detained four staff members of the satirical magazine LeMan over a controversial cartoon that allegedly depicted the Prophet Muhammad, sparking protests and condemnation from government officials. The cartoon, which showed two winged figures shaking hands above a war zone, was interpreted by some as representing Prophets Muhammad and Moses, but LeMan denied this interpretation, stating it symbolized the suffering of Muslims and was not an image of the Prophet. The arrests include the cartoonist, managing director, graphic designer, and company manager, with detention warrants also issued for two editors believed to be abroad. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya condemned the cartoon as a hate crime and insult to religious values, stating such acts are not protected by freedom of expression. Demonstrators protested outside LeMan’s office, leading to police using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, while the magazine apologized for offending readers but called for protection of press freedom. Prosecutors have also launched a financial investigation into the magazine to assess possible monetary irregularities and foreign or domestic funding.