Turkish authorities have blocked access to the website and X account of LeMan, a popular satirical magazine, following accusations that a recent cartoon depicted the Prophet Muhammad, the BirGün daily reported.
A case was initiated after a social media campaign denounced the illustration, with critics claiming it carried religious offense. On July 1 the Istanbul 5th Criminal Court of Peace issued an access ban, citing concerns over national security and public order.
The decision came one day after protesters — reportedly aligned with the extremist group known as the Great East Raiders Association (İBDA‑C) — attacked LeMan’s office on İstanbul’s İstiklal Avenue. Demonstrators threw stones and wielded wooden poles, shattering windows and doors while chanting slogans such as “Long live Sharia” and “Either they die or we die.”
LeMan, known for its bold social and political satire, has frequently faced controversy over its depictions of religious figures.
Free-speech advocates condemned the move. “Summary execution. LeMan’s website and its X account with about 600,000 followers have been blocked. The solution to everything is to shut down, ban, block and silence,” Yaman Akdeniz, a prominent cyber rights activist, wrote on X.
LeMan’s social media account is one of thousands that have been blocked this year. Earlier last month Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said 27,304 social media accounts had been blocked in the first four months of 2025. Critics have described this as the country’s expanding digital crackdown. Human rights monitors and digital censorship watchdogs said opposition voices and activists were among those who have been targeted.
Turkish courts rarely reverse blocking decisions, and appeals can take months — or years — to resolve. Meanwhile, platforms that refuse to comply with Turkish orders face throttling or advertising bans under recent amendments to media and digital laws. The trend of platform compliance has accelerated since Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, now called X.
