Ankara on Charlie Hebdo’s Caricatures of Erdogan

Ankara condemns the publication of caricatures of Turkey's leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, considering them a product of French President Emmanuel Macron’s "anti-Muslim agenda," stated Fahrettin Altun, head of communications for the Turkish President’s office, as reported by RIA Novosti.

Previously, Charlie Hebdo had published a caricature of Erdogan on its cover amidst a crisis in relations between Paris and Ankara. The Turkish leader is depicted in the caricature as partially undressed, sitting in an armchair and holding a refreshing drink in his right hand. With his other hand, he lifts the hem of a woman's dress. The caricature is titled "Erdogan is very indecent in his personal life."

“Macron’s anti-Muslim program is bearing fruit. Charlie Hebdo has published yet another so-called series of caricatures that are filled with offensive images of our president. We condemn this publication's disgraceful attempt to sow cultural racism and hatred,” Altun wrote on Twitter.

He noted that “racist, xenophobic, Islamophobic, and anti-Semitic provocations will not compel Turkey to take retaliatory actions.”

“Such irresponsible and senseless assaults against our culture will only breed racism and discrimination. We call on all our healthy friends in Europe to fight against this primitive cultural racism, intellectual barrenness, and uncivilized debate,” Altun added.

The latest escalation in relations between France and Turkey occurred following the murder of a school teacher in the Paris suburbs and the French authorities' subsequent response, which was characterized in Turkey as directed against Muslims.