Turkey police arrested journalists from the satirical magazine LeMan after publishing a cartoon accused of depicting the Prophet Muhammad, a sacred figure in Islam whose visual portrayal is forbidden. Four senior staff members, including the editor-in-chief, cartoonist, graphic designer, and institutional director, were detained following widespread backlash.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya condemned the drawing as “shameless” and confirmed the arrests on social media. The cartoon in question showed two winged figures floating over a city under siege. One character says, “Peace be upon you, I’m Muhammed,” while the other replies, “Peace be upon you, I’m Musa.”
Despite the uproar, LeMan publicly denied the image depicted the Prophet, insisting it was misinterpreted.
Turkish authorities detained three cartoonists for a satirical drawing in Leman magazine depicting Prophet Muhammad and Moses shaking hands in the sky amid missiles below, resembling war. Riots erupted in Istanbul. Cartoonists claim it shows a random Muslim and Jew, not Quranic… pic.twitter.com/FsB5jagcTw
— LXX (@LxxLatin) July 1, 2025
Turkey Reacts With Protests
As Turkey arrests journalists, public anger erupted quickly. On Monday, hundreds of protesters gathered outside LeMan’s Istanbul offices. They chanted, “tooth for tooth, blood for blood, revenge, revenge.” Riot police arrived to control the crowd. AFP reporters saw officers fire tear gas and rubber bullets.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said prosecutors had launched an investigation into the cartoon. He stated that “the caricature or any form of visual representation of our Prophet not only harms our religious values but also damages societal peace.”
The government’s strong response raised new concerns about press freedom, especially for satire. Videos online showed police arresting LeMan staff. Authorities also issued more warrants for senior magazine members.
A LeMan spokesperson apologized to “well-intentioned readers who feel hurt” but denied showing the Prophet. They said the cartoon tried to spotlight the suffering of Muslims, especially in Gaza. The spokesperson also accused critics of twisting its meaning.
LeMan Stands Its Ground
LeMan continues to defend the cartoon, rejecting the allegations outright. In a statement on X, the team stated, “You have to be very malicious to interpret the cartoon in this way.” Editor-in-chief Tuncay Akgun, speaking from Paris, said the magazine “would never take such a risk” and warned that drawing parallels to the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attacks was “very intentional and very worrying.”
That incident, which saw 12 people killed in France, remains one of the most notorious cases of violent backlash against satirical depictions of the Prophet Muhammad. The LeMan controversy has now escalated into a wider debate about the line between artistic expression and religious offense.
