President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has issued a strong condemnation of Leman magazine following its publication of a controversial cartoon depicting Prophet Muhammad and Prophet Moses.

Speaking during a meeting with the provincial heads of the Justice and Development (AK) Party in Ankara, Erdoğan labeled the cartoon a “despicable provocation” and vowed legal accountability for those responsible.

Erdoğan emphasized that such acts of disrespect are unacceptable and reaffirmed the Turkish government’s commitment to protecting religious values and unity within society. “Our police and judiciary immediately took action and necessary processes were initiated. Those who are insolent will be held accountable before the law,” he stated.

Quoting a Quranic verse — "Say, if you love Allah, follow me, so that Allah may love you and forgive you your sins" — Erdoğan underscored the Islamic teaching of reverence toward the Prophet Muhammad, stating, “The way to be blessed with the forgiveness and mercy of Allah Almighty is to love our Prophet more than anything else, more than anyone else.”

“The Turkish nation has cherished a deep love for the Prophet since embracing Islam,” Erdoğan continued. “We are a nation of devotees, lovers of the Messenger of Allah. We praise our Lord endlessly for making us part of his ummah.”

Addressing the broader public, Erdoğan called for restraint in response to provocations. “None of my young brothers and sisters should allow anger to obscure the mind,” he urged. “We have fulfilled this duty until today, and we will continue to fulfill it in the best way possible.”

Reaffirming his party’s alignment with the Turkish people, Erdoğan said, “Whether they vote for us or not, all of our 86 million people are our brothers and sisters. Our place is with our nation.” He emphasized the AK Party’s longstanding commitment to serving the poor, orphans, and those in need — not the elite — and pledged to continue in the same political tradition.

The incident has drawn widespread reaction from both officials and the public, as Turkish authorities move forward with legal proceedings against those responsible for the cartoon. (ILKHA)