and the story continues :
Turkey marshals law to defend Recep Tayyip Erdogan's honor
Turkish officials have opened thousands of investigations into alleged insults since Erdogan became president in 2014.The latest high-profile case involves a former Olympic swimmer who posted a comment on social media.
"He has COVID-19 and wants prayers. We're praying, don't worry. I've started making 20 pots of halva. I'll give some to the entire neighborhood when the time comes."
This is what the former Turkish Olympic swimmer Derya Büyükuncu tweeted after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently tested positive for COVID-19. Now, the swimmer has been charged with insulting the president and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. On Monday, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said the tweet was criminal because the swimmer had indirectly wished for the president's death.
What does halva have to do with death? This Anatolian specialty, which is usually prepared from flour or semolina and butter, sweetened with honey and served with caramelized walnuts or pine kernels is part of every celebration in Anatolia, including funerals.
Does the allusion to the health of the president constitute an insult? Is it allowed under freedom of expression laws? This is what Turkish courts will now have to decide. Since Saturday, when news of the president's COVID infection was made public, several complaints have been filed with public prosecutors.Not all citizens, it seems, wanted to pray for the president's health. Some even expressed glee about him catching the virus.
According to public prosecutors in Ankara and Istanbul, at least 36 investigations have been opened. Four people have already been arrested and warrants have been issued for four more, including Derya Buyukuncu.
The former Olympic swimmer is likely to face trial. Meanwhile, he has already been permanently suspended from the Swimming Federation of Turkey.
Thousands of lawsuits
According to the Turkish ministry of justice, more than 31,000 investigations into alleged insults against the president were opened in 2020 alone. Since Erdogan became president in 2014, that figure has totaled 160,000. Nearly 39,000 people have stood trial for the alleged crimes.
According to Yaman Akdeniz, a law professor at Istanbul Bilgi University, sentences were handed down in nearly 13,000 cases. Over 3,600 defendants were sentenced to prison and a further 5,500 people were acquitted.
Akdeniz told DW that more than 100 defendants were not yet 18 when they were sentenced. And, 24 were aged between 12 and 14 when they comitted the alleged crime.
Insults against the president were listed as criminal offenses in Turkey's penal code long before Erdogan came to power. However, none of his predecessors made as frequent use of it as he does, notes lawmaker Gülizar Bicer Karaca of the opposition CHP party in a report. According to her investigation, there were only 1,169 complaints during the combined terms of Presidents Abdullah Gül, Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Süleyman Demirel.
Nobody is safe
Nobody is safe these days: Politicians, artists, scientists, schoolchildren, housewives, street vendors or journalists —
anybody can be accused of insulting the president.The problem is that the definition of the crime is vague.
the rest here :
Turkish officials have opened thousands of investigations into alleged insults since Erdogan became president in 2014.The latest high-profile case involves a former Olympic swimmer who posted a comment on social media.
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i have ever seen.
