Former Miss Turkey faces jail for insulting president

25 febbraio 2015

1 min di lettura

(AGI) Ankara, Feb 25 - Former Miss Turkey Merve Buyuksaracfaces up to five years in prison posting the "Poem of theMaster" from the satirical magazine Uykusuz. She is accused ofinsulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was premier atthe time, reported news agency Anatolia. His lawyer filed acomplaint against the model in November 2014. The "Poem of theMaster" adapted verses from the national anthem to criticisethe Turkish government. Ms Merve, 26, was arrested for a fewhours last month. She said it was not her intention to insultMr Erdogan, she had just found the poem amusing and she haddeleted the Intsagram post. Investigators said that the postcould not be considered in the context of freedom ofexpression, but had crossed the boundaries of criticism and was"openly humiliating" to the president. The court will decidewhether to launch legal proceedings against the beauty queen.There have been similar cases in Turkey recently, withjournalists and protesters investigated and arrested, accusedof insulting or defaming President Erdogan. Teenager MehmetEmin Altunses, was arrested in December and will be tried on onMar. 6, on charges of insulting Mr Erdogan during a speech inKonya. He called the president a thief and a corrupt. (AGI) . .