Turkish police have detained at least four cartoonists accused of publishing a cartoon that authorities say depicts the Prophet Mohammed and Moses. The cartoon, published in a political satire magazine, shows two figures with wings and halos shaking hands as bombs fall around them.
The magazine, LeMan, denied depicting the Islamic prophet and said its aim was to highlight the oppression of Muslim people. However, protesters took to the streets, calling for sharia law and condemning the cartoon as an attack on their beliefs.
Turkish authorities quickly condemned the magazine, with Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya saying those who created such content would be held accountable before the law. The Justice Ministry launched an investigation into the incident under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code.
Protesters chanted “Allah is Great” and called for sharia law in Istanbul’s main tourist street, while police released videos showing cartoonists being detained in their homes with captions such as “You will not escape from our security forces or from justice.” The crowd also performed a nighttime prayer and vowed to protect their prophet.
The governor of Istanbul announced that all four people wanted for the cartoon were in police custody, but did not confirm whether any demonstrators were detained. Some groups have called for further protests against the magazine on Tuesday.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/30/europe/turkey-arrests-cartoonists-mohammed-protests-latam-intl