Four Charlie Hebdo associates prosecuted for Erdogan "offensive" sketch (PICTURE)

A Turkish prosecutor has demanded that four contributors to the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo be sentenced to up to four years in prison for "insulting" President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by publishing a cartoon of him last year.

Four contributors to Charlie Hebdo magazine face up to four years in prison for a sketch by Tayyip Erdogan that was considered offensive.

According to Anadolu Agency, the four accused are cartoonist Alice Petty and publishers Gerard Biarr, Jillian Seriniak and Laurent Suriso or Riss.

The publication of the sketch had angered Erdogan, who was depicted in his underpants, holding a beer and lifting a woman's skirt, covered with a veil, shouting: "Oh! The Prophet!".

In the indictment, which must first be accepted by a court in order for the proceedings to begin, the prosecutor considers that this sketch "is in no way subject to freedom of expression or of the press" and describes it as "vulgar" and "disgraceful". ».

Erdogan had spoken at the time of a "shadow attack" by "insignificant" people.

Reporters Without Borders has denounced the prosecution of Charlie Hebdo's associates, stressing that Ankara wants to "extend censorship beyond Turkey". Turkey ranks 154th out of 180 countries on the IFRS list for press freedom.