"It cannot be called freedom of press if it is an insult against a prophet or religious leader that is believed in by around 1.5 billion people around the world. There is open sedition if you publish those insulting caricatures considering the massive sensitivity in Turkey about Prophet Muhammad," Davutoglu told journalists during a press-conference in Ankara, as quoted by Anadolu news agency.
On Wednesday, the Turkish daily Cumhuriyet reprinted from Charlie Hebdo several cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad "with the aim of criticizing the attack on a media corporation and showing solidarity," the news agency reports.
The republication of the cartoons has led to small protests in several Turkish cities. In Istanbul protesters gathered in front of the Cumhuriyet office Wednesday yelling slogans criticizing the edition.
On January 7, the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo was attacked by terrorists who killed 12 people, 10 of whom were editorial staff. The magazine, notorious for publishing caricatures of prominent political and religious figures, among them the Prophet Muhammad, had previously received threats from Islamic fundamentalists. The killings caused an international outcry, with more than three million people participating in a unity march held in Paris on Sunday. Media reports indicated that the latest issue's print run reached five million copies after the magazine sold out Wednesday mid-morning, in comparison to its usual circulation of 60,000.
