İstanbul Municipality Closes Magazine Due to Cat Photo

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İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality has closed down 1453 İstanbul Kültür ve Sanat magazine.

The reason for the closure of the magazine is the image used from the documentary entitled “Nine Lives”, which is about the cats in İstanbul, to be released on June 9.

In the photo, a street cat is seen in front of a graffiti reading “Erdo-gone/inşallah maşallah”.

In its statement, the municipality stated that “labor contracts of the editors, editorial coordinator in charge of content and editor-in-chief have been cancelled. A criminal complaint will be filed due to its disrespectful and provocative content”.

About the image, issuing a statement İstanbul Mayor Kadir Topbaş said that he was “appalled” and added that “this cannot be a mistake and cannot be swept under the carpet. Necessary precautions have been taken. They shall answer for what they did at the court”. (EA/TK)