From Madımak’s ashes to LeMan magazine, new fronts in Turkey’s culture wars

Turkish authorities have arrested four staff members of LeMan, one of Turkey's last satirical magazines, following publication of a cartoon allegedly insulting religious values. The arrests occurred after extremist mobs protested outside the magazine's Istanbul office on June 30, with protesters left untouched while authorities raided LeMan's offices, seized magazines, and launched criminal and financial investigations. Despite the magazine's editorial team clarifying that the cartoon depicted a Muslim civilian named Muhammad killed in Israeli bombardments rather than the Prophet Muhammad, President Erdoğan condemned it as a "vile provocation" and promised legal accountability.