Turkish Cartoonist Detained for Satirical Cartoon of Prophet Muhammad

A Turkish cartoonist was detained and his satirical magazine targeted by protesters after publishing a controversial cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad. Interior minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the arrest and stated that the artist, identified as DP, was taken into custody for questioning. The cartoon, published by the Istanbul-based Leman magazine, depicted the Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Moses exchanging greetings amidst a backdrop of missiles. The image sparked outrage, leading to an attack on the magazine's headquarters by individuals associated with an Islamist organization. Justice minister Yilmaz Tunc announced an investigation into the magazine for potentially insulting religious values.

The incident drew parallels to the 2015 attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, where gunmen killed 12 people following the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. The attack highlighted the risks faced by artists and journalists addressing religious taboos.