Turkish police arrest at least 4 magazine employees over cartoon allegedly depicting Prophet
Istanbul: Turkish police have arrested at least four employees of the satirical weekly magazine LeMan following allegations that a recently published cartoon depicted the Prophet Muhammad, sparking protests and clashes in Istanbul.
The image allegedly appeared to show a Muslim and a Jewish man, with wings and halos, shaking hands in the sky above a scene of buildings with missiles falling—a portrayal that protesters interpreted as a visual representation of the Prophet Muhammad.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued on social media, LeMan denied that the cartoon was intended to depict the Prophet Muhammad. The publication clarified that the name "Muhammed" referenced in the illustration was meant to represent a Muslim victim of Israeli airstrikes, not the Prophet.
“In the work, the name Muhammed is fictionalised as belonging to a Muslim person killed in Israel’s bombardments. There are more than 200 million people named Muhammed in the Islamic world. The work does not refer to the Prophet Muhammed in any way,” the magazine said.
“By highlighting a murdered Muslim, the aim was to highlight the righteousness of the oppressed Muslim people, with no intention whatsoever of belittling religious values. We reject the stigma imposed on us, as there is no depiction of our Prophet,” it added.
In response to public outcry, Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunç confirmed that the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had launched an investigation into the publication for "publicly insulting religious values."
"The caricature or any form of visual representation of our Prophet not only harms our religious values but also damages societal peace," Tunc wrote on X, adding that necessary legal steps will be taken without delay against LeMan's journalists.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya also posted on social media, stating that the cartoonist responsible for the image and LeMan's graphic designer had been taken into custody.
Arrest warrants have also been issued for the magazine’s editor-in-chief and managing editor, according to media reports.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Experience comes when you play bigger teams in bilateral series: Rashid Khan
Chennai (PTI): Afghanistan skipper Rashid Khan called for more bilateral series against stronger cricketing nations after his team signed off from the T20 World Cup on a high, defeating Canada in their final group match here on Thursday.
Afghanistan played some exhilarating cricket, going down to South Africa in a gripping second Super Over after the scores were tied, a humdinger that provided one of the early thrills of the World Cup.
However, the spin-bowling stalwart said Afghanistan could make significant strides if they get regular opportunities to compete against stronger cricketing nations.
"Couple of areas to improve, with the batting, the middle order got a bit stuck against the big teams, and then with the bowling the death overs. That comes when you play the bigger teams in bilateral series," said Rashid after his team defeat Canada by 82 runs, with him returning excellent figures of 2 for 19.
The stalwart said the side had arrived well prepared for the tournament and produced some breathtaking cricket, but admitted the narrow defeat to South Africa proved costly and remained a painful setback.
"We were well-prepared (for the tournament), we played some unbelievable cricket. The game against South Africa, that really hurt everyone. We had to win one of those (first two) games and see how the tournament unfolded. We'll take some positive things from this World Cup and look forward," he said.
With head coach Jonathan Trott set to part ways with the team, Rashid described the departure as an "emotional" moment for the side.
"I think we had some wonderful times with him. Where we are now, he played a main role. It's emotional to see him leave us, but that's how life is. We wish him all the best and somewhere down the line we see him again."
Ibrahim Zadran, who was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten 95 off 56 balls, said it was satisfying to finally register a substantial score after two below-par outings.
"I enjoyed it, didn't play better cricket in first two innings, which I expect. Wanted to back my skills, really enjoyed it. Pressure was there, it's there all the time. I want to put myself in pressure situations and enjoy it," said Zadran.
"Wanted to play positive cricket, rotate strike and punish bad ball, create partnerships and this is what I have done."
