The anatomy of a provocation... Is it the same scenario again?

The investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into Leman magazine and the subsequent street attacks are not merely a matter of sensitivity over a cartoon; they bear the traces of a much more organized, ideological, and dangerous form of pressure.

What we are experiencing should be read as an attempt to besiege the secular public sphere in Turkey.

The cartoon featured in Leman magazine does not contain a direct depiction of the Prophet Muhammad. Despite this, certain circles that shared the cartoon blurred it before circulating it. This method was part of a conscious distortion. Public outrage was manufactured without the cartoon even being seen.

The attacks in Taksim were not isolated; they were organized. It is known by anyone with above-average intelligence that in such attacks, radical elements are deployed in a controlled manner.

Groups that are small in number but highly visible try to intimidate their target by creating a perception that "there is public anger." Their presence at the scene, chanting slogans, and provoking the crowd are all part of this performance.

Such actions target not just one institution, but everyone who shares the same line of thought. The goal is to send the message, "You are under pressure." This is more of a psychological domination than a physical attack. In this way, an attempt is made to intimidate an entire society.

Yesterday, we saw once again that those who remain silent on cases of child sexual abuse in religious cult dormitories, and those who do not take a single action regarding the killing of 60 thousand people in Gaza, declared a mobilization over a cartoon.

This contradiction is the result of a political positioning, not a moral one. Religious sentiments are being instrumentalized for political calculations. This is not defending the faith, Islam; it is typical political Islamist behavior that defends the ruling power.

It is not those who can draw cartoons, but those who are blinded by this bigotry, who are becoming a real threat to society.

On social media, both Leman magazine and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk were made open targets.

The explicit use of hate speech such as "Kemalist dogs" showed the true purpose of the reactionary provocation.

The police, meanwhile, were extremely tolerant toward the reactionary attackers, among whom were members and sympathizers of the IBDA-C terrorist organization.

The manner in which the cartoonists were detained was immediately served to the media.

The "toughness" not shown in cases of femicide or mafia operations was used here as a theatrical tool of punishment. Handcuffing behind the back, forcing to the ground, making them walk without slippers/shoes while bent over... The detentions were turned into a media show.

Why did law enforcement show a level of harshness to cartoonists that they did not show to vicious murderers?

It might be useful to remind Minister Yerlikaya... The language of law is not a spectacle; it is proportionality and justice. The primary duty of the state is to establish the rule of law against this language of hate.

Both a religious individual and a non-religious individual must be protected by the law to the same extent. For freedom of expression covers not only popular ideas but also those that are disturbing.

It is no coincidence that the attack on Leman took place just before the anniversary of the Madımak Massacre. Such organized provocations aim to surround society with walls of fear. This courage is born from the silence it faces. Yet, darkness grows most with silence. A provocateur's post saying "They should not be burned" did not go unnoticed. Nor did the shouting of the groups gathered in Taksim, "It is permissible to massacre them." One cannot help but ask, "Is it the same scenario again on the anniversary of the Madımak massacre, where 33 lives were slaughtered?"

The real agenda of society is clear... Markets are empty, unemployment is at a record level, children cannot be fed, cannot develop... Fathers are in debt... Suicides are increasing, and corruption linked to poverty surrounds our lives.

The ruling power and its cronies, who have lost touch with reality and attained massive wealth, continue to live in luxury in the world they have created for themselves. And their only desire is not to lose this. All their struggles, every guise they adopt, every concession they make, and every collaboration they engage in are shaped within the framework of these personal interests.

The political power is trying to divert attention from this painful picture by manipulating religious sensitivities.

Turkey's most fundamental need is the rule of law. The state must stand at an equal distance to every citizen, whether religious or secular. Fear should not speak; the law should. Darkness should not prevail; thought should illuminate.

The attack on Leman, the threats of killing and burning, and the sharing of the handcuffed detentions from the Interior Minister's official X account are an attack on the freedom of thought and expression.

The ruling power has taken not only society but also the law hostage, and Turkey does not deserve this... Turkey can no longer endure or carry this lawlessness.

Before I end my article, I will share two articles known to everyone.

Article 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey: The Republic of Turkey is a democratic, secular, and social state governed by the rule of law, within the limits of public peace, national solidarity, and the concept of justice, respectful of human rights, loyal to the nationalism of Atatürk, and based on the fundamental principles set forth in the preamble.

Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights: Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.