Turkey Arrests LeMan Staff Over Cartoon Controversy

Turkish authorities have arrested at least four staff members, including cartoonist Dogan Pehlevan, from the satirical magazine LeMan after they published a cartoon that officials and religious conservatives claimed depicted the Prophet Muhammad and Moses shaking hands above a war scene. The cartoon led to widespread protests, clashes with police, and attacks on sites associated with the magazine. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya and Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc condemned the cartoon and announced criminal investigations under laws against public insult to religious values and incitement to hatred. LeMan denied that the cartoon depicted the Prophet Muhammad, stating it was meant to highlight the suffering of a Muslim civilian killed in Israeli attacks, and apologized to offended readers. Detention orders have been issued for several more individuals connected to the magazine. The incident has rekindled debate in Turkey over freedom of expression, religious sensitivities, and state censorship, with comparisons drawn to past international controversies.