Erdoğan slams Nobel for awarding a 'terrorist,' aide denies he meant Orhan Pamuk

Duvar English

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has slammed the Nobel academy for awarding a "terrorist" from Turkey in the past, in an apparent reference to Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, before Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun denied that he meant the prominent novelist.

"They awarded a terrorist from Turkey," Erdoğan told students in Bilkent University in the capital Ankara on Dec. 10, as he refrained from naming the novelist - although Pamuk has been the only Nobel laureate from Turkey.

Pamuk won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2006 and Erdoğan, who was then-Prime Minister, called him to congratulate at the time.

During his speech, Erdoğan said that the Nobel has nothing left to be praised in the international arena anymore, adding that it acts ideologically.

"There's nothing disputed about the award given to Aziz Sancar. We applaud and appreciate him. However, if you see those who include terrorists in their novels as worthy of Nobel, it's impossible for us to recognize you," he added.

A short while after Erdoğan's remarks, Altun denied that the President meant Pamuk in his speech, saying that he meant the names known with their anti-Turkey stance and terrorist acts nominated or awarded by Nobel or other international institutions.

"Our President pointed to the hypocrisy that awards racism and terrorism and criticized the awarding systems of the European institutions and organizations that are based on ideological approaches," Altun said in a tweet.

During his speech, Erdoğan was asked what his attitude would be if he were to receive a Nobel Prize in the future.

"I won't accept it," he said.

Slamming the Nobel academy for awarding the prize for literature to Handke, who has been criticized for backing late Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, Erdoğan noted that "the institution acts politically."

"Nobel showed what it is [via handing the award to Handke]. It finished itself. I don't value Nobel," he said, adding that Turkey will boycott the Nobel awards ceremony to protest the academy’s choice.

"We notified our friendly countries and asked them to not attend the ceremony as well," Erdoğan also said.

During a separate speech later on Dec. 10, Erdoğan said that awarding the Nobel prize to Handke will “encourage enemies of Islam and humanity.”

"It is a shame and disgrace to award a person who defends and praises a murderer who shed the blood of tens of thousands of Muslims," Erdoğan said at an event at the presidential complex.

“Those lecturing Turkey about democracy and law rolled out the red carpet for dictators and terrorists who killed tens of thousands of people,” the president further said.