International cartoon contest held to satire ‘IS atrocities’

Satirical cartoons from around the world that are satirically criticizing the Sunni extremist group, Islamic State, will be made public. The online edition of the daily Tehran Times in Iran said on Thursday that ”Award-winning cartoons from the International Anti-DAESH satirical cartoon & caricature contest 2015" that was hosted by the Iranian cartoonist association to showcase IS’ atrocities will be exhibited from Sunday.” DAESH is short for `Islamic State` in Arabic language, and some Islamic countries call IS “DAESH" in a gesture to defy the terror group.

Held under the slogan "spirit of resistance to vice," the contest brought together artists from 43 countries worldwide, including Iran, China, Peru, the U.K. and Germany. Chinese artists participated in the event the most after Iranians, and some cartoonists used anonymity to ensure personal safety. “Most art pieces vividly yet wittily describe the brutality of IS,” said Muhammad Habbi, head of the Iranian cartoonist association. “The winning photos will be displaced in Iran, Syria and Lebanon.”

The contest entailed the two categories of satirical cartoons and caricatures. The theme of the satirical cartoon category was DAESH. The figures who were caricatured included IS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and U.S. President Barack Obama. The English online news site "Heavy News" reported that “The figures in caricatures include the top leaders of the U.S., the U.K., and Israel. People should appreciate art pieces on display in consideration of the fact that Iran is an anti-U.S., anti-Israeli country. The contest could bring about another IS attack.” IS committed terror attacks on French satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo in January this year, and on "Muhammad cartoon contest" in Texas this month.