Turkey will take all legal and diplomatic steps needed in response to a caricature of President Tayyip Erdogan in the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, Turkey’s Communications Directorate said on Wednesday, Reuters reports.
Top Turkish officials condemned the caricature, calling it a “disgusting effort” to “spread its cultural racism and hatred.” State media later reported that Turkish prosecutors had launched an investigation into Charlie Hebdo’s executives.
“Our people should have no doubt that all necessary legal and diplomatic steps will be taken against the caricature in question. Our battle against these rude, ill-intentioned and insulting steps will continue until the end with reason but determination,” the directorate said.
The cartoon on the cover of Charlie Hebdo showed Erdogan sitting in a white T-shirt and underpants and holding a canned drink, along with a woman wearing an Islamic hijab.
