Erdogan denounces a cartoon directed at him and threatens judicial and diplomatic measures

The Turkish president described the “Charlie Hebdo” cartoon of him as a despicable attack. France has said it is seeking European sanctions against Turkey for attempts to destabilize Ankara.

ClickTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday criticized his portrayal of a cartoon published by the French satirical magazine “Charlie Hebdo”, describing it as a “despicable attack”, while France said it seeks to impose European sanctions on Turkey for “attempts destabilization “.

Erdogan’s office vowed to take unspecified “judicial and diplomatic” action in response to the cover of the latest issue of the French magazine, which shows a cartoon of Erdogan wearing underwear and holding a case of beer in hand, while in his second hand he lifts the cloak of a veiled woman.

The drawing angered Turkish political circles and added to the crisis surrounding Turkey’s already deteriorating relations with France, while a Turkish spokesperson described the drawing as an expression of “cultural racism.”

The new drawing comes a few days after Erdogan called on the Turks to boycott French products and Paris summoned the French ambassador to Ankara, after the Turkish president questioned the “mental health” of his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.

Turkey takes Macron’s expression of his support for the freedom to depict the Prophet Muhammad in cartoons, during a ceremony honoring a French teacher who was beheaded by a Chechen Russian refugee for showing his students in class these drawings.

Macron’s defense of the right of the media to make fun of religions sparked angry protests in Turkey and across the Muslim world.

In a speech in Ankara, Erdogan said: “I didn’t look at this picture … I don’t need to say anything about these bastards who insulted my beloved messenger at this level.”

He added: “My anger is caused not by the despicable attack on me, but by the insults to our Prophet, whom we love more than ourselves.”

“We realize that the goal is not personal, but our values,” added the Turkish president.

sanctions

In Paris, the French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Clément Bonn, announced on Wednesday that his country would support the imposition of “sanctions” at the European level against Turkey.

Bonn said in the French Senate: “We will support European measures that reflect a forceful response, including the instrument of possible sanctions” to “a comprehensive strategy in Turkey that requires the multiplication of provocations in all aspects.”

For his part, French government spokesman Gabriel Atal stated that France “will never withdraw from its principles and values”, despite “attempts to destabilize and intimidate”, highlighting the European unity in support of France and its values. .

The representative of the government to combat racism in France announced that he informed the French judiciary of a tweet by a Turkish official in which he used the adjective “malefactors” to describe the weekly “Charlie Hebdo” that made fun of Erdogan.

In a tweet posted Tuesday night, Turkey’s Deputy Culture Minister Serdar Jan wrote in French: “Charlie Hebdo, you are bastards … you are the children of prostitutes … you are the children of dogs.”

In the context of the confrontation, Gabriel Atal confirmed the dissolution of the city of Baraka, which Paris accuses of betting on “radical Islam”. Its president, Idris Yemu, immediately requested “official political asylum” from the Turkish president of his association and for himself personally, saying that he faced “death threats”.

Ugliness and hatred

Turkey is a predominantly Muslim but officially secular country, but it took a more conservative and nationalistic path under Erdogan.

These policies put Turkey and Erdogan increasingly at odds with France and Macron, one of Ankara’s most critical critics and defenders of free speech, even when it comes to religion.

On Wednesday, Erdogan accused “Macron and those who share the same mentality” of pursuing “evil, provocative and ugly policies that sow the seeds of hatred.”

And the Ankara Prosecutor’s Office announced the opening of an investigation targeting “Charlie Hebdo” officials for “insulting the head of state.

The new drawing comes amid a heated debate over France’s broader Muslim policy. And representing the prophet Muhammad is strictly forbidden in Islam.

Despite escalating tensions, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Ankara does not plan “at this time” to call its ambassador in Paris. On Saturday, France called its ambassador to Turkey, who was received by Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday night.

In the middle of the verbal exchange, the French government spokesman wanted to recall that “hateful statements against journalists and against an editorial board that led to the attacks and caused tragedies and murders (…) in our country.”

Charlie Hebdo was the victim of an attack in 2015 that killed 12 people, including journalists and cartoonists who worked for the magazine.

A Mauritanian Islamist extremist tried in Mali claimed responsibility for two deadly bombings in Bamako in 2015, saying he was “proud” and had acted “in revenge” for publishing the cartoons.

New demos

The Paris-Ankara debate takes place within a broader context of anger in the Islamic world towards France, related to Macron’s defense of the cartoons, in which many Muslims see an anti-Islamic stance.

On Wednesday, the prime minister of Pakistan wrote to the leaders of the Muslim world urging them to act together against Islamophobia.

Several demonstrations took place during the week in Muslim-majority countries, including a gathering of tens of thousands, calling for a boycott of French products in Bangladesh on Tuesday.

But India supported France on Wednesday, as its Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “We deeply regret the personal attack in unacceptable language against President Emmanuel Macron, in violation of the most basic standards of international speech.”

In Iran, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called Macron’s endorsement of the cartoons a “foolish act.” Khamenei said in a message to French youth posted on his official website Wednesday: “Hey, young people from France! Ask the president of your republic: Why does he support insulting the Messenger of God and classifying it as freedom of expression?

Khamenei continued in his message: “Isn’t this silly behavior an insult to the feelings of the people who elected him president?”