World

Charlie Hebdo mocks death of Syrian child Aylan Kurdi

French magazine which regularly stirs controversy is back in the news for all the wrong reasons

Web Desk September 14, 2015

PHOTO: MOROCCO WORLD NEWS

While the world mourned the unfortunate death of a three-year-old Syrian refugee Aylan Kurdi, Charlie Hebdo -- the French magazine which regularly stirs controversy -- has featured cartoons of the toddler, mocking his death.

Under the garb of freedom of speech, Charlie Hebdo made two drawings of young Kurdi who was found dead recently on a Turkish beach and became a symbol of the refugee crisis.

Read: No more Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) comics, says Charlie Hebdo editor

The front page of the latest edition of the magazine featured the toddler lying face down on the beach and while the strapline read "Welcome to migrants", the main text read "So close to his goal". The magazine further made an illustration of a McDonalds billboard in the background stating "Two menus of children for the price of one."

PHOTO: MOROCCO WORLD NEWS

Read: The attack on Charlie Hebdo

Meanwhile, the second cartoon entitled "The proof that Europe is Christian," portrayed Kurdi drowning in the water a man on the side, supposedly Jesus standing on the water and saying "Christians walk on waters, Muslim kids sink."

PHOTO: MOROCCO WORLD NEWS

Many took to the social networking site to criticise Charlie Hebdo

https://twitter.com/jjsteeves/status/643376420832591872

https://twitter.com/Triska/status/643364431225753605

Charlie Hebdo mocks death of Syrian child #HumanityWashedAshore

Unbelievable & Disgraceful. pic.twitter.com/PAMB8YfxoP
— ISMAIL HUSSAYN 🦅 (@IsmailHussayn) September 14, 2015

@MWNEnglish is the most useless "media" in the world. Another personal opinion masked as journalism #CharlieHebdo http://t.co/93TUXhOSnI
— Amal Guerdali (@amalguerdali) September 14, 2015

They are as much of awful caricature as those Charlie Hebdo cartoons and show nothing other than aggression, machismo, violence
— Sunny Singh (@ProfSunnySingh) September 14, 2015

Charlie Hebdo managed to mock Aylan Kurdi, the boy who drowned, in the name of satire.

They stand for freedom of speech or from humanity?
— . (@fatah_pak) September 14, 2015

This article originally appeared on Morocco World News

COMMENTS (25)

sam | 8 years ago | Reply you push buttons then cry when people retaliate... Hebdo you and any of your supporters deserve what you get...

Farishtay | 9 years ago | Reply @Munish Rastogi it should be the other way round. when others do not understand, they should not use it in satire. I can understand Indian mentality, by emulating like a swan one does not become a swan.

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Manish Rastogi | 9 years ago | Reply When you do not understand the satire then at least do not touch such news. I see nothing wrong here.

khurram shahzad | 9 years ago | Reply Humanity is taking last breath in people who are working for Charlie Hebdo. Pathetic People, Pathetic newspaper. Cheap tactic to increase circulation of 3rd standard newspaper.

khurram shahzad | 9 years ago | Reply @Paa Ji: why indians will respond on that because Charlie Hebdo reflects their true mentality.

Malatesh | 9 years ago | Reply @Paa Ji: Why do you want Indians to comment on Pakistani newspapers on other country? We would like to comment on only articles which has reference to India. There is enough debate on this issue across all newspapers in India already..

Musk | 9 years ago | Reply @Jovan: That's all you have to say about it because the child was not one of yours? What a heartless person you are! As for cutting heads, that's a serious business for IS, they do not extract dark humour out of this despicable act.

hnr | 9 years ago | Reply That's the motto of the magazine,to mock all that is sacred or profane and if you do not like it do not buy or read the magazine The choice is yours,freedom of speech or no freedom of speech.

Jovan | 9 years ago | Reply This is satire and actually mocks the european morality. Granted the dark humour is not for everyone. Atleast they don't cut heads and post it online like some muslims.

GI Joe | 9 years ago | Reply Waiting for the day Charlie Hebdo satirizes the Holocaust. Until then, this is bigotry.

Pakistani | 9 years ago | Reply @C M Naim: so will they satirize Auswitz ever in a cartoon. or that is too sensitive to satirize but ok to satirize a child's death

Sarah Allawala | 9 years ago | Reply @CM Naim whether it's satire or plain mockery it's downright inhumane. You don't write satire about something that's so close to the heart of so many people and that except very few pseudo intellectuals like yourself would deem to be satirical. And as the history of Charlie Ebdo shows they have no respect for either Islam Muslims,so I think your argument becomes redundant.

Azi | 9 years ago | Reply @Travis: Even if you take it from that angle, there are better ways to send the message across. Without mocking a poor child that broke world's heart. They managed to hit them selves with an axe to foot even if they are trying to show their "nice side". One with high enough IQ can tell when a production will back fire.

Zohaib Furqan | 9 years ago | Reply Even Anti-Christ won't do such a thing, all we know about him he is evil but Charlie Hebdo hats off to you.

Travis | 9 years ago | Reply Are you serious ?? This piece berates Christians for doing nothing while a Muslim child was drowning !! You guys should learn to read first. It is exactly the opposite of what you inferred.

Mohammed Ali Khan | 9 years ago | Reply May Allah Pak guide the author of the article and show him/her the correct path. May the author one day see the light and soften his/her heart so that they can feel the pain and suffering of those less fortunate. When a true Muslim sees suffering and death especially to little angels no matter what race or religion we as an Muslim umrah feel this suffering from the heart. May Allah one day put these feelings into the hearts of the authors at Charlie hebdo and enable them to use this magazine fame and coverage for a better cause. Ameen

Vegetable Man | 9 years ago | Reply Too Soon Too Soon.... Actually,they aren't Making fun of the kid... they are mocking Europe. Political Correctness will be the death of comedy.

Paa Ji | 9 years ago | Reply No Indian comments? No condemnation What happened to their humanity? Died with Aylan, drowned with him. RIP

ruqaiya Awan | 9 years ago | Reply Some people are born with no hearts.. they are simply shame on th face of humanity...charlie hebdo is nothinh but a crap..

shah | 9 years ago | Reply This is disgusting satire.

Rehana | 9 years ago | Reply This is nothing but the work of a sick mind....I feel pity on the people who have done this....They should be treated as sick people... While the whole world is grieving on the sad incident these people think this is something to make fun of... Disregarding the religion, cast or race, its the human life thats more important...and this was a child....if someone doesnt show respect for this, then either they are inhuman or very sick....

sone | 9 years ago | Reply these shameless saddists

C M Naim | 9 years ago | Reply Unfortunately, journalists and readers seem to have no experience of SATIRE. Hardly any satire is written in Urdu, and little that appears in English is read in Englaish classrooms. If at all interested, begin by reading Swift's "A Modest Proposal" for solving the problems in Ireland centuries back. These cartoons are making biting fun of European nations and their people. Please do not cause more problem just because you cannot understand another literary tradition.

C M Naim | 9 years ago | Reply This is most ridiculous. Have the writer, headlinemaker, and readers no sense of what satire is? These cartoons do NOT mock the dead child. They use the image to mock the general habits of responses that happens one day and disappears the next. They mock the states and people who are showing so much grief over one death, while severely ignoring others.

Stranger | 9 years ago | Reply National Shame.

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