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Turkey frees schoolboy held for 'insulting' Erdogan
(MENAFN- Arab News) ANKARA: A teenager was released from custody on Friday after his arrest for allegedly insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan caused uproar in the country.
The boy Mehmet Emin Altunses was released following a complaint by his lawyer over his arrest in the central city of Konya. The 16-year old student was taken away from his school on Wednesday and jailed for making a speech during a student protest in which he reportedly said Erdogan was regarded as the 'thieving owner of the illegal palace.'
It was a reference to a government corruption scandal as well as a controversial 1150-room palace Erdogan inaugurated in October.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had defended his detention saying the presidential office had to be respected but opposition parties denounced his arrest as the latest example of the government's crackdown on dissent in the country.
A court in the central Turkish city of Konya agreed to free the boy from police custody on Friday after dozens of lawyers volunteered to defend him and petitioned for his release. It is a crime in Turkey to insult the president and the boy still faces up to four years in prison if charged and convicted.
Dogan news agency footage of his release showed the boy being embraced by his mother as he walked through the gates of a detention center. Dozens of his supporters sang and beat a drum in celebration.
He was met by his parents as he left the main courthouse building in the city but defiantly declared his political activism would continue the CNN-Turk channel reported.
The boy who was arrested by police at school during questioning denied links with a political party but confirmed he had made the statements in question.
Altunses had accused Erdogan of being the 'chief of theft bribery and corruption.'
Despite his release he still remains accused of insulting Erdogan and faces trial at a date yet to be specified. He risks up to four years in prison if convicted.
The boy's lawyer Baris Ispir had submitted a petition for his release to the court together with around 100 colleagues who came from Istanbul in a show of support.
His legal team had also pointed out that accusations against Erdogan and his inner circle have been circulating for months on social media without any action being taken.
The boy Mehmet Emin Altunses was released following a complaint by his lawyer over his arrest in the central city of Konya. The 16-year old student was taken away from his school on Wednesday and jailed for making a speech during a student protest in which he reportedly said Erdogan was regarded as the 'thieving owner of the illegal palace.'
It was a reference to a government corruption scandal as well as a controversial 1150-room palace Erdogan inaugurated in October.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had defended his detention saying the presidential office had to be respected but opposition parties denounced his arrest as the latest example of the government's crackdown on dissent in the country.
A court in the central Turkish city of Konya agreed to free the boy from police custody on Friday after dozens of lawyers volunteered to defend him and petitioned for his release. It is a crime in Turkey to insult the president and the boy still faces up to four years in prison if charged and convicted.
Dogan news agency footage of his release showed the boy being embraced by his mother as he walked through the gates of a detention center. Dozens of his supporters sang and beat a drum in celebration.
He was met by his parents as he left the main courthouse building in the city but defiantly declared his political activism would continue the CNN-Turk channel reported.
The boy who was arrested by police at school during questioning denied links with a political party but confirmed he had made the statements in question.
Altunses had accused Erdogan of being the 'chief of theft bribery and corruption.'
Despite his release he still remains accused of insulting Erdogan and faces trial at a date yet to be specified. He risks up to four years in prison if convicted.
The boy's lawyer Baris Ispir had submitted a petition for his release to the court together with around 100 colleagues who came from Istanbul in a show of support.
His legal team had also pointed out that accusations against Erdogan and his inner circle have been circulating for months on social media without any action being taken.
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