Lawyers for German comic, Erdogan argue in court over poem
BERLIN – Lawyers for Turkey’s president and a German television comedian have argued in a Hamburg court over whether the comic should be banned from repeating a crude poem he wrote about the Turkish leader.
Comic Jan Boehmermann recited his ditty on German public television earlier this year after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was angered by another broadcast outlet’s satirical song.
Boehmermann’s poem described Erdogan as “stupid, cowardly and uptight” before descending into crude sexual references.
In May, the Hamburg court issued an injunction ordering Boehmermann not to repeat most of the poem. Erdogan’s lawyers want the prohibition extended to the whole poem.
News agency dpa reported Wednesday that the court plans to deliver its ruling in the civil case on Feb. 10.
Prosecutors have dropped a separate criminal investigation against Boehmermann.
News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.