Turkish Journalists Face 4.5 Years in Prison Over Charlie Hebdo Cartoons

In January, in solidarity with the French magazine which was attacked by three Muslim gunmen, Turkish Cumhuriyet newspaper re-published four of Charlie Hebdo’s post-attack special edition pages.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — Turkish prosecutors are seeking up to four and a half years in prison for two Cumhuriyet newspaper reporters, charged with using the controversial cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Muhammad that were originally published in the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine in their articles, the media outlet said.

The Charlie Hebdo weekly magazine’s Paris office was attacked by three Muslim gunmen in January after it published controversial cartoons depicting Islamic prophet Muhammad. Twelve people, including the editor-in-chief, were killed in the attack.

In January, in solidarity with the French magazine, Turkish Cumhuriyet re-published four of Charlie Hebdo’s post-attack special edition pages. The newspaper did not publish the magazine’s cover that displayed a large cartoon of prophet Muhammad, but they used smaller images throughout the text.

An investigation was launched following reports of some 1,280 Turkish nationals placing an appeal with the prosecutor’s office.

Turkish prosecutors issued a 38-page bill of particulars, blaming the reporters of “insulting religious values” and “inciting hatred.”