Turkish leader files complaint against insulting poem read on German TV
Date
4/12/2016 6:06:29 AM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) A composite picture made of file pictures shows Turkish President Recep TayyipErdoganduring a press conference in Bucharest Romania 01 April 2015 (L) and German comedian and television host Jan Boehmermann posing in BerlinGermany 22 February 2012 (R). EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT
BERLIN: Turkish President TayyipErdogan has filed a complaint against a comedian who recited asatirical and sexually crude poem about him on Germantelevision complicating Berlin's attempts to get Turkey's helpin dealing with Europe's migrant crisis.
The issue pits freedom of speech values that are core toWestern Europe against recent moves in Turkey by Erdogan thatcritics say crack down on dissent.
The public prosecutor's office in the western city of Mainzsaid Erdogan had filed the complaint via lawyers against JanBoehmermann for insulting him. Boehmermann is the host of the
late-night "Neo Magazin Royale" on the public ZDF channel.
In a programme broadcast on March 31 Boehmermann hadrecited a poem about Erdogan that contained crude sexualreferences and accusations that Erdogan repressed minorities and
mistreated Kurds and Christians.
Before reading it Boehmermann referred to a satirical songbroadcast on NDR television that had mocked Erdogan for hisauthoritarian treatment of journalists. That show led Turkey to
call in Germany's envoy to provide an explanation althoughGermany rejected Turkish protests.
Boehmermann said the NDR broadcast fell under the right toartistic freedom press freedom and freedom of opinion and saidhis poem was an example of impermissible "abusive criticism".
Prosecutors said Erdogan's complaint would be examined aspart of a pending procedure. They had already beguninvestigating Boehmermann on suspicion of the crime of"offending foreign states' organs and representatives" aftermore than 20 people filed complaints.
On Monday Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Berlinwas examining a formal request made by Turkey for it toprosecute Boehmermann and a decision would be made in the nextdays.
Merkel who has spearheaded EU efforts to secure Turkey'shelp in dealing with Europe's migrant crisis has told TurkishPrime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in a telephone conversation that
the poem was "deliberately offensive".
If the government decides to decline the Turkish request toprosecute Boehmermann she risks a worsening of diplomaticrelations with Turkey Wolfgang Kubicki senior member of
Germany's business-friendly FDP party told NDR radio.
"If the government were to support the move there would bea huge backlash domestically" he said adding that in hisopinion as a trained lawyer the poem was "distasteful" butwithin the limits of artistic freedom.
Reuters