Turkish court acquits designer of viral stickers criticizing Erdoğan for inflation

A Turkish court has acquitted Mahir Akkoyun, who was temporarily detained after designing stickers that read "Did this product seem expensive to you? Thanks to Erdoğan" on charges of “insulting the President.” Akkoyun’s stickers went viral during the election campaign after they were put on market shelves.

Monday July 24 2023 01:31 pm

The stickers read "This product is expensive because of us. Keep this in mind when you vote" were put on market shleves during the election campaign.

Duvar English

A Turkish court has acquitted Mahir Akkoyun who prepared stickers with the photos of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli to draw attention to the rising prices and inflation in the markets.

In a tweet, Akkoyun shared the court's ruling and said “The verdict of acquittal is finally given. It is not a crime to design stickers and say 'Is it expensive, thanks to Erdoğan'.”

Beraat kararı çıktı nihayet.

Sticker tasarlamak ve "Pahalı mı geldi, Erdoğan sayesinde" demek suç değilmiş :D pic.twitter.com/sMlWb6Ubgn
— mahirgra (@mahirgra) July 24, 2023

Akkoyun was temporarily detained in April during the presidential election campaign on charges of “insulting the President” after his stickers that read "Did this product seem expensive to you? Thanks to Erdoğan" were put on supermarket shelves and went viral on social media.