Cartoon by Tjeerd Royaards

Cartoonists commemorate the Charlie Hebdo attacks, 10 years on

France 24

On January 7, 2015, gunmen stormed the offices of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and assassinated 12 people in an attack that shook France to its core and sparked a global outcry about press freedom. Ten years after the assault that coined the phrase "Je suis Charlie", the fight for secularism continues. A look back at the tragedy through cartoons, with a selection from Cartooning for Peace.

On January 7, 2015, the Kouachi brothers assassinated twelve people at the editorial office of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, including eight members of the editorial staff. The cartoonist Charb, as well as two French cultural icons, Cabu and Wolinski, were among the victims.

Ten years after the attack, the international network of press cartoonists, Cartooning for Peace, has selected drawings that embody a decade marked by tragedies, societal debates, and international tensions.

How many of us would take to the streets today to defend satire, blasphemy, in the face of censors and extremists from all backgrounds? It is difficult to answer, but it is clear that press freedom is declining worldwide.

According to the association of cartoonists, half of the world’s population now lives under an authoritarian regime – religious or otherwise – where satire is either banned or severely restricted. It is more crucial than ever to defend the often-threatened right of cartoonists to mock, provoke thought, and nurture critical thinking.