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Police trying to stop protesters outside the magazine that makes cartoons in Istanbul in Turki.
Controversy has arisen in the Turki over the cartoon of Prophet Muhammad. According to news agency AP, Lemon magazine published a cartoon of Prophet Muhammad on 26 June, which is resentment across the country.
In the cartoon, a person who looked like Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Moses was shown shaking hands in the air amid the rain of missiles from the sky. This erupted anger among the Turkas. People also demonstrated outside Lemon magazine’s office in Istanbul.
People associated with an Islamic organization also stoned Lemon’s office. Turki Home Minister Ali Yralikaya said that it is not the freedom of the press nor is the Freedom of Speech.
The police have taken the cartoonist Dogan Pahalwan who made the cartoon into custody for questioning. Along with this, 4 people including Lemon’s Chief Editor and Managing Editor have been arrested.
People performing outside Lemon magazine
The Minister of Justice said- no one has the right to insult religion
Turki’s Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunk said that such cartoons insult religious sentiments and social harmony. He wrote on social media that no one can insult the symbols of any religion by making an excuse for freedom of expression.
Home Minister Yralikaya said that he condemns this shameful cartoon who made fun of the Prophet Saheb. He said that such actions insult our religious sentiments. Hurt the hearts of Muslims. These tasks are going to provoke people, and those who try to do so will have to answer in front of the law.
He also shared a video in which the cartoonist is being taken to the stairs with handcuffs.
Lemon magazine apologizes on social media
Secular law is applicable in the Turkas, but there can be a prison of up to a year for publicly insulting someone’s religious values. However, as the controversy escalated, Lemon magazine issued an apology on social media and said that the purpose of cartoon was not to insult Islam.
Lemon magazine claimed that the purpose of the cartoon was to show the pain of Muslims killed in Israeli attacks, not to make fun of the Prophet. He said that the name ‘Muhammad’ was used because it is the most common name among Muslims around the world, and the cartoon is not painted the Prophet.
Lemon magazine alleged that some people deliberately make it disputed by misinterpreting the cartoon.