Turkey's Courts Double Down on Dissent: 1 Party Challenged, 1 Comedian Convicted

Turkey's Courts Double Down on Dissent: 1 Party Challenged, 1 Comedian Convicted

Turkish courts are targeting both a political party and a comedian in separate cases that raise questions about free expression under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government.

· 1 min read ·
turkeyhuman rights

Turkey's Constitutional Court has given the YENİ Party one month to defend itself in a case over its name, while a court convicted a comedian on charges including insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan [253149][253125].

The Constitutional Court case against the YENİ Party was sent by the Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Public Prosecutor's Office following an objection from the Yenilik Party, which argues the YENİ Party's name is too similar to its own [253149].

In the separate case, comedian Deniz Goktas was convicted on two of three charges, including insulting Erdogan. He was released pending the appeal process [253125].

Turkey is officially a secular country and its constitution protects free speech [253125].

Sources

Turkey's top court targets YENİ Party in name clash #253149Turkey: Comedian found guilty of insulting Erdogan, released pending appeal #253125

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