02.07.2025 14:22
Four suspects detained as part of the investigation into Leman magazine have been referred to the courthouse with a request for arrest. While the statements of the suspects at the police have emerged, the owner of the cartoon stated, "I did not depict the Prophets; I only used names. There is a similarity in names. My intention was never related to the Prophets." The statement of the editor-in-chief, "I saw this issue later. I had no knowledge of it," also drew attention.
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Four suspects detained as part of the investigation launched regarding the publication of a caricature of Prophet Muhammad in Leman magazine have been referred to the courthouse.
As part of the investigation initiated ex officio by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the publication of a caricature targeting Prophet Muhammad in a humor magazine for the crime of "publicly insulting religious values," the procedures of the four suspects detained have been completed at the Istanbul Police Department's Security Branch.
4 SUSPECTS REFERRED TO THE COURT
The magazine's editor-in-chief Zafer Aknar, graphic designer Cebrail Okçu, the owner of the caricature Doğan Pehlevan, and the institution's director Ali Yavuz were taken to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan with a request for their arrest.
STATEMENTS FROM THE POLICE EMERGED
On the other hand, the statements of the four suspects at the police have also emerged. The owner of the caricature, Doğan Pehlevan, stated, "I did not depict the Prophets, I only used names. There is a similarity in names. My intention was never related to the Prophets."
"I ONLY DEPICTED THE MENTIONED FIGURES"
It was learned that graphic designer Cebrail Okçu said, "I have no responsibility; I only depicted the mentioned figures," while another person detained during the operation, the institution's director, stated, "I have no information regarding the matter."
ATTENTION-GRABBING WORDS FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Zafer Aknar, the editor-in-chief of Leman magazine, stated, "I also saw this issue later. I had no information."
FINANCIAL INVESTIGATION INTO LEMAN MAGAZINE
A financial crime investigation has been initiated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the caricatured image of Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Moses published in Leman magazine on June 26. In a statement made by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated, "During the ongoing investigation, it was assessed that the results that would emerge from determining whether the suspects Ali Yavuz, Aslan Özdemir, Cebrail Okcu, Doğan Pehlevan, Mehmet Tunçay Akgün, Zafer Aknar, and the publisher LM Basın Yayın Limited Company, along with its authorized representative Mehmet Çağçağ, and Kemal Şentürk, the authorized representative of LMK Entertainment Company (Leman Kültür), which is considered to be connected to LM Basın Yayın Limited Company, received financial support for the execution of the heinous act from domestic or foreign entities or organizations would guide the current investigation, thus a financial investigation has been initiated against the mentioned companies and individuals by our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office."
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