Turkish court deems calling Erdoğan 'a Jew' an insult, fines social media user

A Turkish court has deemed calling President Erdoğan "a Jew" an insult and fined a social media user. "Tayyip is a Jew who disguises himself as a Muslim," said the man on social media, prompting the court to fine him 7,000 liras.

Sunday November 07 2021 12:52 pm

Reuters photo.

Duvar English

A Turkish court in the northwestern province of Bursa fined a man 7,000 Turkish Liras after he called President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan "a Jew" on social media, Deutsche Welle's Turkish service reported on Nov. 5.

"Tayyip is a Jew who disguises himself as a Muslim," Yüksel Üstün wrote on Facebook back in 2020, prompting Erdoğan's lawyer to file a complaint on the grounds that he "humiliated" the president.

According to Erdoğan's lawyer Hüseyin Aydan, Üstün used "offensive remarks towards the president's honor, dignity and reputation."

The final hearing of the case was held on Nov. 4, where Üstün's lawyer Baran Güneş defended his client by saying that Jews are "honorable citizens of this country."

"Calling someone a Jew or gypsy is not a crime," Güneş told the court, asking for Üstün's acquittal.

The court, however, sentenced Üstün to 10 months and 20 days in prison, before turning it to an administrative fine worth 7,000 liras.

Thousands of people have been tried for "insulting" Erdoğan since 2014. Most recently, a 96-year-old woman was put on trial over the said charge.