Turkey will take legal and diplomatic steps in response to a caricature of President Tayyip Erdogan in the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo. Officials have called the cartoon by Charlie Hebdo a “disgusting effort” to “spread its cultural racism and hatred” by mocking President Erdogan.
Turkish anger at the caricature added fuel to a row between Turkey and France over cartoons of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
President of France Emmanuel Macron remarks defending cartoons insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have caused outrage in the Muslim world as it unites and brands Macron as devil. And, now it has triggered a global campaign to boycott French products.
His statement came after a teenager had recently killed a school teacher for displaying the cartoons in a class on freedom of speech.
Earlier, Macron’s statements about “the need to reform Islam” drew reactions from Muslims all over the world.
Caricature of Erdogan
The new cartoon on the cover of Charlie Hebdo showed Erdogan sitting in a white T-shirt and underpants, and it’s disgusting. He is holding a canned drink along with a woman wearing a hijab.
“Our people should have no doubt that all necessary legal and diplomatic steps will be taken against the caricature in question,” said Turkey.
“Our battle against these rude, ill-intentioned and insulting steps will continue until the end with a reason but determination”.
Turkish authorities had taken all necessary initiatives with the relevant authorities. State media also reported that Turkish prosecutors had launched an investigation into Charlie Hebdo’s executives.
Top Turkish officials had condemned the caricature. Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said it had no respect for “any belief, sacredness, and values” and showed “their own vulgarity and immorality. He said the caricature could not be considered freedom of expression.
Turkish presidential communications director Fahrettin Altun said “Macron’s anti-Muslim agenda is bearing fruit!”
“We condemn this most disgusting effort by this publication to spread its cultural racism and hatred,” Altun wrote on Twitter.
Erdogan sharply criticized Macron at the weekend. He said the French leader needed a mental health check, prompting France to recall its ambassador from Ankara. On Monday, Erdogan urged a boycott of French products.
France is angry after Pakistan and Turkey grilled Macron. Muslims are calling the French president a devil and rightly so.
Muslims consider cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) cartoons as blasphemous. Any attempt to demean his stature will not be tolerated. It is as simple as this. It is high time that France must get it that insulting anyone is NOT freedom of expression. Period.
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