Four magazine employees were arrested for the cartoon published in the June 26, 2025 issue of LeMan Magazine. In the investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on charges of “publicly insulting religious values”, the prosecutor’s office claimed in the referral letter that the cartoon created the impression that “the Prophet Muhammad and the Prophet Moses were held responsible for the bombed cities”.
The cartoon depicted two figures, Muhammad and Moses, greeting each other with “Salam alaikum” and “Alahem Shalom” over a bombed city in the Middle East. The prosecutor’s office claimed that these figures were the Prophet Muhammad and the Prophet Moses and argued that the crime of inciting hatred and hostility against the public had been committed. In the same article, a second charge was brought against illustrator Doğan Pehlevan for insulting President Erdoğan in his social media posts.
Among those detained are the illustrator, editor-in-chief, managing editor and graphic designer. The court accepted the arrest request.
In a statement, the magazine said the cartoon was not intended to insult religious values, but rather reflected the just struggle of oppressed Muslim peoples. LeMan Editor-in-Chief Tuncay Akgün said, “There is no depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in the cartoon, we would never take such a risk.”
Following the developments, LeMan’s offices in Beyoğlu and Bakırköy were attacked, its social media accounts were blocked and a recall order was issued for the June 26 issue.
July 2, 2025
Diken