Private Eye has picked up the story of the “offensive” cartoon (left) that highlighted the gaping holes in Turkey’s defence of free speech.

After Turkish satirical magazine Penguen ran a cartoon portraying Erdogan as a cat, the catoonist, Musa Kart, was taken to court and fined 5000 lira (£1700). The case drew attention to Turkey’s recently drawn up (and much praised) criminal code that contain clauses that prohibit journalists from “insulting the state”, not to mention numerous other vague phrases that over zealous prosecutors can seize upon.

The shabby treatment of Musa Kart provoked strong reactionamong other Turkish cartoonists and Erdogan has now been portrayed as everything from a lion to a giraffe. More lawsuits are pending and Penguen faces a fine of more than 40,000 lira (£8,500) that could force closure

The Federation of Cartoonists’ Organisations (FECO) reports on the same story with a bit more background. The article goes on to point out that the legal actions against Kart and Penguen are not the only attacks on press freedoms by the thin-skinned “champion of free speech”.

In 2004, Hilal Incesu, a caricaturist at the Ulkede Ozgur Gundem newspaper, commented on the Prime Minister suing the Daily Evrensel newspaper for a caricature, and the € 6000 compensation fine imposed. Incesu received a suspended 50-month prison sentence for this. Musa Kart subsequently drew this incident in his caricature corner called, “Above the Boot,” in the Cumhuriyet (Republic) newspaper. In Kart’s caricature, a stick man, representing the prime minister, speaks into the microphone of a reporter: “Yes, let’s join the EU for personal rights and freedoms. However, I will not let my charisma be damaged!” Incesu is an old hand at court appearances - at one time he had dozens of lawsuits against him. Other cartoonists feeling the back of Erdogan’s hand include Selvi, also of Evrensel. He drew the Prime Minister as a horse being led by one of his advisers. Mr Selvi was also convicted and fined.

Feco also has the supportive response from cartoonists for Penguen magazine online. Click here to see it.

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