A number of senior Turkish officials condemn the French satirical weekly’s decision Charlie Hebdo to publish a caricature of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The publication is seen as “a disgusting attempt” to spread “cultural racism and hatred”.
On the cover of the weekly, Erdogan can be seen sitting in a chair and wearing a T-shirt and underpants. The signed president holds a can of drink in one hand and holds up a woman’s hijab with the other.
“We condemn the publication of our president in the French magazine, which has no respect for our faith, our shrines and our values,” said Erdogan’s spokesman. “They show their own vulgarity and immorality. An attack on personal rights is not a humor or an expression of freedom.”
With the statements, the officials are adding fuel to the fire in the heated argument with France.
Erdogan said Emmanuel Macron had to seek psychological help after the French president announced tough measures against Muslim terrorism in his country. Macron did this because of the decapitation of a social studies teacher who Charlie Hebdocaricatures of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad had shown in a lesson on freedom of speech.
France subsequently decided to recall its ambassador from Turkey. The Turkish president responded to this on Monday by calling for a boycott of French products. Other countries have also responded with anger to Macron’s statements.
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