Outrage as French magazine Charlie Hebdo mocks Turkey-Syria earthquake

A cartoon posted by French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo mocking the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria has caused outrage.

The magazine posted on Monday a cartoon called "Earthquake in Turkey". Under the drawing of collapsed buildings, rubble and an overturned car is the caption: "Didn't even need to send the tanks".

The earthquake struck Turkey before dawn on Monday and was followed by a series of aftershocks, including a 7.5-magnitude quake. The disaster has killed at least 5,000 people.

✏️Le dessin du jour, par #Juin pic.twitter.com/kPcEqZDocO

— Charlie Hebdo (@Charlie_Hebdo_) February 6, 2023

The drawing, by an artist who goes by Juin, was labelled "disgusting", "pathetic" and "inhuman" by some of the publication's more than 11 million viewers on social media.

"The most disgusting thing I’ve ever read in a while. Posting provoking content so you get free publicity, whilst hiding behind the freedom-of-speech-card," Twitter user Sumi wrote.

“Earthquake in Turkey: Did not even need to send tanks.”

The most disgusting thing I’ve ever read in a while. Posting provoking content so you get free publicity, whilst hiding behind the freedom-of-speech-card.

C’est vraiment pathétique et dégoûtant @Charlie_Hebdo_ https://t.co/h05BdY0rkg

— sumi-e (@aynigma_) February 7, 2023

"The moral depravity of #charliehebdo is simply beyond utter disgust & horror at such an insensitivity about human suffering," wrote Huda Mzioudet, another Twitter user.

The moral depravity of #charliehebdo is simply beyond utter disgust & horror at such an insensitivity about human suffering….. https://t.co/H99seikt1R

— Huda Mzioudet هدى مزيودات (@HudaMzioudet) February 7, 2023

Some social media users said the cartoon was indicative of "European audacity" concerning freedom of speech.

"The European audacity to come and lecture us about freedom of expression whereas this is what they think freedom of expression is," Twitter user Simo said.

The European audacity to come and lecture us about freedom of expression whereas this is what they think freedom of expression is. How many babies, kids, and innocent humans you had to overlook, and even dehumanize, for this dumb writing https://t.co/kDZwknpnNY

— Simo l ⵙⵉⵎⵓ 🌸🇲🇦🇵🇸 (@UselessSimo) February 7, 2023

Twitter users called on the platform and its owner Elon Musk to delete the magazine's "racist" account.

you have to delete the racists accounts! @elonmusk @Twitter https://t.co/aJ3EtV0EpO

— Ömür Özdemir (@ceriLevis) February 7, 2023

Charlie Hebdo has been criticised several times in the past for its insensitive cartoons about the Middle East. Ahead of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the French magazine published a crass, Islamophobic cartoon depicting men with beards, AK-47s and rocket launchers playing football in the desert. 

The magazine had previously published highly controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, for which their offices were firebombed in 2011. France was forced to temporarily close embassies and schools in more than 20 countries amid fears of retribution for similar cartoons in 2012. 

Twelve people were killed when gunmen stormed the magazine's office in Paris in 2015.

Through Monday night, survivors of the earthquake used their bare hands to pick over the twisted ruins of multi-storey apartment blocks, trying to save family, friends and anyone else still inside the collapsed buildings.

With aftershocks continuously rattling the area, many terrified and exhausted survivors spent the night outdoors, too afraid to go home.

Much of the quake-hit area of northern Syria has already been decimated by years of war and aerial bombardment by Syrian and Russian forces that destroyed homes, hospitals and clinics.