01.07.2025 16:31
President Erdoğan reacted to the cartoon published in Leman Magazine depicting Prophet Muhammad, stating, "This is a despicable provocation. Disrespect towards the Prophet is unacceptable. The police have immediately taken action regarding the hate crime."
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In his statements at the Expanded Provincial Chairmen Meeting of his party, President and AK Party Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reacted strongly to the scandalous cartoon published by Leman Magazine under the guise of humor, targeting Prophet Muhammad.
"THOSE WHO ARE ARROGANT WILL PAY THE PRICE"
In his statement, Erdoğan said, "The way to be honored with the forgiveness and mercy of Almighty Allah is to follow the blessed footsteps of our Prophet. We see loving our Prophet more than anyone else as a requirement of our faith. As a nation, we are madly in love with our master, who has a beautiful name and a beautiful character. We express our endless gratitude to our Lord for allowing us to be a community of the Prophet. The disrespect shown by the immoral and uncivilized is absolutely unacceptable. It is an open provocation disguised as humor. It is a despicable provocation. Our security and judiciary have immediately taken action, and necessary processes have been initiated. Those who are arrogant will account for this before the law. We will not allow anyone to insult our sacred values. No young brother of mine should allow anger to cloud their judgment. We have fulfilled this duty until today, and we will continue to perform it in the best way possible," he said.
Highlights from Erdoğan's statements;
"I am pleased to be with you at the 172nd Expanded Provincial Chairmen Meeting of the AK Party. As the AK Party, we are consistently maintaining our tradition of consultation. We are evaluating our issues. We are thoroughly addressing the issues in our country and around the world in our cabinet.
We held the last of our breakfast conversation programs this morning. We had the opportunity to hear the problems of our cities firsthand. We openly discuss and debate every issue related to our party, our country, and foreign policy, and we make our decisions accordingly. We will hopefully hold our Kızılcahamam Camp from July 11-13. We will emerge from the Kızılcahamam Camp strengthened and re-energized, thanks to Allah, we are progressing on our path in harmony and coordination with our organization.
"IT DOES NOT SUIT THIS TEAM TO BE COMPLACENT"
As AK Party cadres, we are not among those who fight; we are those who elevate the law of brotherhood. Our interests did not bring us together. We did not run for these positions for seats or titles. We are here only to serve the people and earn the pleasure of the Almighty. We are in the AK Party to serve our nation. We are together to be a bridge between hearts. We are shoulder to shoulder in the struggle for a common goal, common troubles, and issues. We are conducting this struggle with our heads held high. Tirelessly and resolutely, we will continue on our path with the motto of 'first Turkey.' It does not suit this team to stop or become complacent. It is never appropriate for us to build walls between ourselves and our nation.
"THE AK PARTY IS THE PARTY OF THE NATION"
Hopefully, next month we will celebrate our 24th anniversary. We have never been among those who disregard the nation. Hopefully, we will not be in the future either. We have not lost our passion for serving Turkey, and we will not lose it in the future. All 86 million of us are our brothers and sisters, a part of our lives. We exist for the nation. We will do whatever the nation wants. The AK Party is the party of the nation. We have always been the companions of the poor and the needy, not the elites or the privileged. We are still pursuing politics along the same lines today.
"WE AIM TO REACH 750 THOUSAND YOUNG PEOPLE"
With this understanding, we will hopefully turn the summer months into an opportunity as an organization. Are we ready for this? This summer will not be just another season. We will work hard, going door to door. We are continuing the Turkey Meetings we held last year as Turkey Century Meetings. Throughout the summer, we will hold our indispensable advisory councils. We have gathered the activities organized by our municipalities for young people under the title 'Summer is Beautiful with You.' We aim to reach 750 thousand young people.
During the summer period, our women's and youth branches will also go into the field and will undertake important work. We will all be on the field as a full team. We will strengthen our bond with our nation.
"I AM NOT SAYING THIS FOR POLEMICS"
In 23 years, we have managed to bring much more than what was done before us to our country. We have taken Turkey to a new level in transportation, education, defense, and many other areas. No one should take offense. The opposition cannot hold a candle to us in the race to serve. I am not saying this for polemics. As someone who has traveled across Turkey, I say this. The AK Party has the consciousness to keep the promises made in the municipalities of the People's Alliance. In our municipalities, there is a focus on producing solutions, not complaining. There is a zeal for laying a stone on top of another.
Eating the fallen is a tradition of the CHP. Who said what to whom, what insults were exchanged, and who stabbed whom does not concern us. The discussions about the congress are also an internal issue of the CHP. All parties involved in the lawsuit taken to court are from the CHP. Both the complainant and the one who claims to be a victim are these people.
"WE DID NOT ENTER POLITICS YESTERDAY"
They should look at their old and new friends and see whose names are written in the case file. We have never taken sides and we will not. The CHP members will also share their cards in court. The Turkish judiciary will make the most accurate decision. Whatever we do, we are obliged to respect the law. Like our nation, we also hope for the completion of the legal process and that everything will be clarified.
We did not enter politics yesterday. We are somehow in front of the nation. The relationship of the free gentleman with politics is far behind the periods we have forgotten. We do not see the same respect for the law in the CHP and its administration. I believe that our nation will make this judgment very well. The political compass of the CHP has gone astray. Turning political competition into enmity and trying to suppress every criticism with aggression is the greatest evil that can be done to our democracy. We hope that the opposition will resolve its direction problem as soon as possible. Those who chase small calculations cannot account for history. We are concerned with positioning Turkey in global politics in the strongest way possible."
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