The most controversial international magazine covers of 2019

Several world leaders took offense at foreign magazine covers in 2019, causing international rows.
What follows is a list of the most controversial international magazine covers of 2019. In addition to politics, other hot-button issues hit by contentious covers included race, sex and religion.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan filed a legal complaint in Turkey over the cover story in the Oct. 24 issue of French magazine Le Point, which described him as “The Eradicator.”
The magazine’s cover used a photo of the Turkish leader giving a military salute, with a tagline that reads, “Ethnic cleansing, Ergodan style,” and a second tagline that asks, “Will we let him massacre the Kurds (and threaten Europe)?”
(See articles by Bloomberg, the Daily Mail, Agence France-Presse and Associated Press.)
Last year, Erdogan criticized a cover story by Le Point that labeled him a “dictator.”

The May 20 international edition of Time magazine caused a firestorm by labeling Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “India’s divider in chief.”
(See articles by Gulf News, India’s Business Today, Outlook India and the New Indian Express.)

Slovenian liberal political weekly Mladina magazine caused a stir when it depicted Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban giving a Nazi salute on the cover of its March 22 issue. (See article by Fox News.)

Serbian weekly magazine NIN removed a cover photo of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić from its Nov. 28 issue after receiving harsh criticism. The photo, which showed the president at an arms fair, could have been an invitation to kill him, critics said. The picture showed a gun pointed at Vučić. (See article by Balkan Insight.)

A Chinese embassy magazine aimed at promoting China’s ties with host country Myanmar sparked anger with a cover that imposed Chinese architectural features on the country’s famed Mandalay Palace.
The June issue of China Today magazine, a bimonthly journal published in Burmese, showed the 160-year-old Mandalay Palace, with a reflection in its famed moat of a Chinese-style palace and bastion. (See article by Radio Free Asia.)

Britain’s Daily Telegraph issued an apology after publishing a cover story in its magazine about U.S. first lady Melania Trump, saying it “contained a number of false statements.” It also paid “substantial damages” to the first lady, including her legal costs. The Jan. 19 cover story was titled “The Mystery of Melania.”
(See articles by Fox News, CNN and BBC.)

French magazine Paris Match was mocked for its July 4 cover photo that showed former French President Nicolas Sarkozy towering over his wife, former supermodel Carla Bruni. Sarkozy is 5 feet 5 inches tall while his wife is 5 feet 9 inches tall.
(See articles by Fox News, France 24, the Guardian and the Telegraph.)

In March, the Insurance Institute of Ireland pulled their members’ magazine after a controversial front cover was slammed as racist and insensitive.
The cover of the quarterly magazine carried the headline “The Dark Side of Insurance” and referred to the rise in cyber risks. The cover illustration showed thieves with dark purple faces stealing phones, money and passwords from a woman with a pink face and blonde hair.
(See articles by the Irish Independent and the Times.)

The April 16 issue of Football France raised hackles with a cover illustration showing star players Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo passionately kissing. (See articles by RT and Marca.)

In August, German Jews accused Der Spiegel of spreading anti-Semitic stereotypes with the cover of its historical issue. (See articles by the Times of Israel and Forward.)

Harper’s Bazaar Australia came under fire for its December issue titled “A celebration of Australian beauty.” The cover photo showed five thin, white models. Critics said the magazine showed a lack of diversity.
(See articles by the Daily Mail and Stuff.)

Singer Rihanna was called out for “cultural appropriation” for her cover shoot for August issue of Harper’s Bazaar China. Rihanna posed in traditional Chinese clothes for the magazine.
(See articles by CNN and Page Six.)

This month, a woman with a 17-year-old daughter with autism slammed a U.K. supermarket for selling a magazine that claimed autism can be cured. Get Well magazine touts “Alternative treatments proven to work” and had a cover story titled “Reversing autism.” (See articles by Good to Know and the U.K. Independent.)

In August, then 17-year-old pop singer Billie Eilish blasted Nylon Germany magazine for a cover illustration that showed her bald and topless. The magazine pulled the cover after the stinging criticism.
(See articles by Dazed, iHeartRadio, the Guardian and People.)

The student magazine of the University of Otago in New Zealand, Critic Te Arohi, saw Facebook ban its April 7 cover for violating its community standards around nudity. The cover of its annual “Sex” issue featured 24 naked students. (See article by Stuff.)

French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo stirred controversy with a graphic cover cartoon to mark the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The cartoon showed a vagina with a soccer ball entering it. A caption accompanying the cartoon read: “We will be munching on this all month!”
(See articles by Reuters, RT and Canoe.)