News editor Aslan Özdemir was abroad when Turkish authorities raided LeMan’s offices in Istanbul on June 30 after the leftist satirical magazine published a cartoon that authorities claimed to depict the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. LeMan has denied such claims in a June 30 statement on X.
Five of the magazine’s staffers were arrested, including Doğan Pehlivan, cartoonist; Cebrail Okçu, graphic designer; Zafer Aknat, news editor; and Ali Yavuz, institutional manager. Özdemir was arrested July 11 after he returned to Istanbul under his own will.
Tuncay Akgün, the editor-in-chief and publisher, was also wanted by the authorities as Özdemir but could not be apprehended as both men were abroad at the time.
The LeMan staff were indicted in early September and all six defendants, including Aygün, were charged with “provoking the people into hatred and animosity” which may lead to a prison sentence of up to four years and six months for each if found guilty. A court is yet to accept the indictment for the trial date to be set. There is a warrant for Aygün’s arrest.
CPJ’s emailed request for comment from the chief prosecutor’s office in Istanbul did not receive a reply.