By Omoniyi David
Turkish police have arrested four staff members of the satirical magazine Leman over an alleged caricature of the Prophet Mohammed, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced late Monday.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Yerlikaya described the cartoon as “despicable” and shared footage of the arrests, which included the magazine’s graphic designer, illustrator, editor-in-chief, and managing director.
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç also confirmed an investigation into Leman for allegedly “publicly denigrating religious values.”
However, Leman denied the accusation, stating via X that the cartoon did not depict the Prophet Mohammed.
Footage showed police using cable ties to restrain the suspects before escorting them from the magazine’s Istanbul office.
The arrests followed a protest outside Leman’s office in the Beyoğlu district, where demonstrators reportedly chanted “Long live Sharia” and vandalized the premises.
In response, authorities imposed a one-day ban on public gatherings in the area.
The Contemporary Lawyers Association (CHD) condemned the arrests as “torture,” accusing the government of using the incident as a pretext to suppress dissent.
