Turkey condemns Charlie Hebdo over cartoon of President Erdoğan

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Turkey has condemned France-based weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo over a recently published cartoon about President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), Vice President Fuat Oktay has said on Twitter, "You cannot deceive anyone by hiding behind freedom of opinion! I condemn the immoral publication of the inexcusable French rag about our President," calling on the "moral, conscientious international public to speak out against this disgrace."

Vice Minister of Tourism and Culture Serdar Çam has also tweeted French swearwords addressed to the satirical magazine's Twitter account. "You are bastards. You are sons of b*****s," he has tweeted.

Statement by Communications Directorate

Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun has also tweeted, "French President Macron's anti-Muslim agenda is bearing fruit! Charlie Hebdo just published a series of so-called cartoons full of despicable images purportedly of our President. We condemn this most disgusting effort by this publication to spread its cultural racism and hatred."

Fahrettin Altun has also indicated that "the so-called caricatures are loathsome and they are devoid of any real sense of human decency. It's clearly the product of a xenophobic, Islamophobic, and intolerant cultural environment the French leadership seems to want for their country."

Altun has briefly added: "We have made our position clear that we oppose any violence against civilians and any acts of terrorism in the name of Islam. However, we will not remain silent in the face of disgusting attacks on our culture and religion no matter where it comes from.

"Our President has been the most humanitarian leader in recent memory by leading the way in embracing millions of refugees around the world. Those who have not lifted a finger to help women, children and the disabled are now targeting our leader with their obscenity.

"Yet again, the racist, xenophobic, Islamophobic and anti-Semitic incitements will not be able to provoke us into reciprocating in kind. We refuse to bow down to your intimidation and provocations based on your perceived victimhood. These kinds of irresponsible and senseless attacks on our culture will only breed racism and discrimination. We call on all sensible European friends to fight back against this kind of primitive cultural racism, intellectual barrenness, and uncivilized discourse."

French President Macron's anti-Muslim agenda is bearing fruit! Charlie Hebdo just published a series of so-called cartoons full of despicable images purportedly of our President. We condemn this most disgusting effort by this publication to spread its cultural racism and hatred.

— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) October 27, 2020

Following the murder of history teacher Samuel Paty, who had shown Charlie Hebdo's caricatures of Prophet Mohammad to pupils in class about freedom of expression a few days before, the satirical magazine's cartoons of the Prophet were projected onto government buildings in France.

In a speech a few days later, President and AKP Chair Erdoğan condemned both the remarks of President of France Emmanuel Macron, who had said that "Islam was in crisis", and the projection of the cartoons to the government buildings. "What is the problem of this person called Macron with Islam and Muslims? Macron needs treatment on a mental level," Erdoğan said, adding that Macron "needed a mental check."

In response to this, France recalled its envoy in the capital city of Ankara to Paris for consultations. In a recent speech, President Erdoğan has also called on citizens "to not buy French products." (SD)