Thursday

30th Nov 2023

Merkel in tight spot over anti-Erdogan comedian

German chancellor Angela Merkel is in a tight spot after Turkey filed a complaint against a German satirist who read out an obscene poem about Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on TV.

The provocation by comedian Jan Boehmermann puts her in a dilemma of having to choose between protecting free speech or protecting the recently signed EU-Turkey deal that aims to stem the flow of migrants to Europe.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Boehmermann, the host of the late-night “Neo Magazin Royale” show on the ZDF public broadcaster, on 31 March recited a poem which said Erdogan represses Kurds and Christians and has sex with animals.

Prosecutors in Mainz said Erdogan had filed a legal complaint on Monday (11 April) against Boehmermann for insulting him.

If found guilty, he could be imprisoned for up to a year under Germany’s criminal code.

Erdogan's German lawyer, Michael-Hubertus von Sprenger, said he was prepared to go to the supreme court if need be. He added that the Turkish president personally wanted Boehmermann to be punished.

A second case could see Boehmermann spend three years in prison, Reuters reports.

Prosecutors are conducting a parallel investigation on suspicion of the more serious crime of “offending foreign states' organs and representatives”, also following a formal request by Turkey.

In the second case, the German government has to authorise prosecutors to go ahead. Berlin will decide in the coming days, Merkel said Tuesday.

She said she cherished artistic freedom in Germany.

“Art and these fundamental values are valid regardless of any political problems we are discussing with each other, and that includes the refugee issue,” Merkel said on Tuesday.

But she also praised Turkey, which has promised to take back irregular migrants from Greece.

“Turkey is bearing a very big burden in relation to the Syrian civil war but all of that is completely separate from Germany's fundamental values ... freedom of the press, opinion and science apply and are completely separate from that,” she said.

Merkel earlier told Turkey’s prime minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, that the poem was a “deliberately offensive text” that she personally disapproved of.

But that did not discourage Ankara from requesting the prosecution.

Boehmermann is now under police protection, according to German media, for fear of attacks by pro-Erdogan supporters in Germany. He has also cancelled the next episode of Neo Magazin Royale.

The situation in Germany recalls Erdogan’s crackdown on free speech inside Turkey.

He recently seized the leading opposition newspaper - Zaman.

He has jailed dozens of government-criticial journalists using anti-terrorism laws. He has indicted more than 1,800 people for “insulting” his office, some of them for merely “liking” other people’s social media posts.

The German comedian is used to controversy.

In March 2015, Boehmermann claimed that he had a video clip in which Greece’s then finance minister Yannis Varoufakis showed the middle finger to the German people. He later admitted it was a hoax.

Varoufakis on Tuesday expressed solidarity with Boehmermann.

“Europe first lost its soul (agreement with Turkey on refugees), now it is losing its humour. Hands off @janboehm!,” he said on Twitter, using Boehmermann’s Twitter handle.

Guy Verhofstadt, the leader of the liberals in the European Parliament, said that in a free world even bad taste is allowed.

“It worries me that we are now at the mercy of an authoritarian leader like Erdogan who wants to show that he can curtail our freedoms, just like he does in his own country,” he said in a statement.

Interview

Turkey will not give in to EU on refugee laws

Turkey will not change its laws to appease EU demands to increase protection of asylum seekers and will refuse any oversight on how it applies its rules, its EU ambassador says.

Merkel stands her ground on migration

The German chancellor Sunday ruled out closing German borders. She also vowed to help Greece and to fight for a European solution to the refugee crisis.

Turkey free speech row goes EU-wide

Turkey's EU embassy has called for legal action against a Dutch comic for insulting its president, lifting a dispute on free speech, which began in Germany, to a European level.

Merkel authorises probe into Erdogan satire

Decision to authorise proceedings against Turkey-bashing comic split Merkel's coalition, prompted accusations of "kowtowing" to Turkish "despot" Erdogan.

Russia loses seat on board of chemical weapons watchdog

Russia lost its seat on the board of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for the first time in the organisation's history — while Ukraine, Poland, and Lithuania were elected to the executive council.

Opinion

'Loss and Damage' reparations still hang in balance at COP28

There is still work to be done — especially when it comes to guaranteeing the Global North's participation in financing Loss and Damage, and ensuring the Global South has representation and oversight on the World Bank's board.

Latest News

  1. EU offers Turkey upgrade, as Sweden nears Nato entry
  2. Russia loses seat on board of chemical weapons watchdog
  3. Finland's closure of Russia border likely violates asylum law
  4. The EU's 'no added sugars' fruit-juice label sleight-of-hand
  5. EU belittles Russia's Lavrov on way to Skopje talks
  6. Member states stall on EU ban on forced-labour products
  7. EU calls for increased fuel supplies into Gaza
  8. People-smuggling profits at historic high, EU concedes

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  2. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?
  3. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  4. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  5. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  2. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  4. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations
  5. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  6. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us