Detained For Insulting Erdoğan, Jailed For Insulting Police

Halit M., a 24 year old university student detained for charges related to insulting “the president of the country”, has been sent to jail for insulting an on-duty police officer in the southern province of Kilis. 

According to CNNTürk, prosecutors initially charged Halit M. with insulting the president, however he was later on charged with insulting a police officer as the case was brought to the attention of the court. 

“We don’t know the reason but the prosecutor changed its charges from insulting the president to the police officer,” Ahmet Yılmaz, Halit M.’s lawyer, said. 

The court ordered the arrest of the defendant, ordering him to serve 5 years - the upper limit for jailing a defendant for insult charges. 

“There was no risk that my client could run away as he was studying at  Çukurova University. We will appeal to a vacation court in Osmaniye tomorrow." (EKN/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.