Radical Islamist mobs attacked Istanbul-based satirical magazine LeMan’s office. Police beat its personnel while detaining them. All politicians led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan targeted the magazine.

MPs at the parliament sang a gospel. LeMan’s cafes were attacked. Turkish media and civil society organisations are still targeting the magazine…

A Mohammed, not the Prophet

It was all due to a cartoon, published on July 1, that allegedly depicts Islam’s prophet, Mohammed, together with the Jewish prophet Moses.

In the cartoon, two men that have wings fly over the ruins of buildings amid falling missiles and greet each other. It looks like the scene depicts Gaza.

Selam – Shalom

“Hello, I am Mohammed,” one man says.

“Hello, I am Moses,” the other one replies.

The Arabic greeting word “selam”, which is also used in Turkish, and the Jewish greeting word “shalom” depict their common ground in a carton that calls for peace.

“Would never take such a risk”

After a pogrom was launched targeting the magazine, its editor in chief said that they would never take such a risk if the cartoon was really depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

French cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo were not aware of the level of ‘sensitivity’ when it comes to depicting prophet Mohammed. However, LeMan is a Turkish magazine and they are aware of the outcomes.

Bipartisan lynch

The X account and website of the magazine were blocked. The magazines were pulled off the shelves. Interior minister shared videos of police officers beating and detaining four personnel of the magazine.

Ankara and Istanbul mayors, both members of main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), joined the lynching campaign with condemning the magazine.

Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is currently in jail. His participation in the government-led pogrom, to put it mildly, added comedy value in the events.

CHP chair Ozgur Ozel was the only politician in the country who defended the magazine.

Local author Tanil Bora has a book entitled “Turkiye’nin Linc Rejimi / Turkey’s Lynch Regime” that lists and discusses the Turkish state-led lync operations across history.