'Vile and ugly humor': Turkey detains cartoonist over Prophet Muhammad drawing

A Turkish cartoonist has been arrested for a drawing that sparked anger on the streets and forced a country to face its long-running struggle with free speech. On Monday, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya confirmed the arrest of Dogan Pehlevan, identified by his initials DP, posting a video on X showing officers handcuffing him and leading him away.

“The individual who drew this vile image, D.P., has been apprehended and taken into custody,” Yerlikaya wrote. “These shameless people will be held accountable before the law.”

Cartoon triggers outrage and stone-throwing

The drawing appeared in Istanbul’s Leman magazine. It showed the Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Moses exchanging greetings high in the sky while missiles rained down below. Some read it as a message about religious unity above earthly wars. Many others saw it as deeply offensive.


A group of young men, linked to an Islamist organisation, gathered outside Leman’s headquarters soon after publication. They hurled stones at the building. Videos spread across social media showed protesters kicking the doors of Leman’s office in central Istanbul and later clashing with police outside a nearby bar popular with staff.

Government calls it insult to religion

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc wasted no time. He said an investigation had been launched under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code. The law covers incitement to hatred and enmity.

Tunc said, “Cartoons or drawings depicting the Prophet harmed religious sensitivities and social harmony.” He added, “No freedom grants the right to make the sacred values of a belief a subject of humour in an ugly way.”

The Istanbul chief prosecutor also ordered the arrest of Leman’s editors-in-chief and managing editor. In total, six people face possible charges of “publicly insulting religious values.”

Leman says cartoon misunderstood

Facing growing anger, Leman posted a statement on X defending its cartoon. The magazine apologised to readers who felt offended but argued the drawing was taken out of context.

It said Pehlevan’s intention was to show “the suffering of a Muslim man killed in Israeli attacks.” The statement read, “The name Muhammad is among the most widely used in the world by Muslims honouring the Prophet. The cartoon does not depict the Prophet and was not drawn to mock religious values.” Leman described some interpretations as “deliberately malicious” and urged the courts to protect freedom of expression.

Echoes of Charlie Hebdo

The fierce reaction reminded many of the 2015 attack on France’s Charlie Hebdo. Two French-born Algerian brothers, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, stormed the Paris offices after the satirical weekly published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. They killed 12 people. Another attacker, Amedy Coulibaly, shot dead a policewoman and four Jewish hostages before dying in a gun battle.

This Turkish case has reopened wounds. It also shines a light on a country where press freedom remains fragile. Reporters Without Borders ranks Turkey 158th out of 180 in its 2024 Press Freedom Index.

The lines between offence and expression, faith and satire, feel blurred once again. For some in Turkey, the cartoon crossed a line. For others, its violent fallout is a sign that public discourse remains under pressure.

One drawing. Three cartoonists in jail. Editors under arrest orders. Protesters on the streets. In today’s Turkey, ink still holds power.