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| Angela Merkel accepts Turkish request to seek prosecution of German comedian | Angela Merkel accepts Turkish request to seek prosecution of German comedian |
| (8 days later) | |
| Angela Merkel has accepted a request from Turkey to seek the prosecution of a comedian who read out an offensive poem about the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on German television. | Angela Merkel has accepted a request from Turkey to seek the prosecution of a comedian who read out an offensive poem about the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on German television. |
| Under an obscure paragraph of Germany's criminal code, the government has to authorise prosecutors to pursue a case against the comedian, Jan Böhmermann, who stands accused of insulting a foreign leader. | Under an obscure paragraph of Germany's criminal code, the government has to authorise prosecutors to pursue a case against the comedian, Jan Böhmermann, who stands accused of insulting a foreign leader. |
| "There were different opinions between the coalition partners – the conservatives and the SPD (Social Democrats)," Ms Merkel said. | "There were different opinions between the coalition partners – the conservatives and the SPD (Social Democrats)," Ms Merkel said. |
| "The outcome is that the German government will give the authorisation in the current case," she added, stressing that this was not a decision about the merits of the prosecution's case against Böhmermann. | "The outcome is that the German government will give the authorisation in the current case," she added, stressing that this was not a decision about the merits of the prosecution's case against Böhmermann. |
| However, the German leader also announced that the country would by 2018 scrap the rarely enforced section 103 of the criminal code – insulting representatives of foreign states – as a result of the embarrassing affair. | However, the German leader also announced that the country would by 2018 scrap the rarely enforced section 103 of the criminal code – insulting representatives of foreign states – as a result of the embarrassing affair. |
| According to Reuters, Justice Minister Heiko Maas, a Social Democrat, said this was the first such case in which the statement at stake was made by a journalist in a satirical program. "Freedom of opinion, the press and art are things requiring the highest protection under our constitution," and that also needed to be taken into account, he said. | According to Reuters, Justice Minister Heiko Maas, a Social Democrat, said this was the first such case in which the statement at stake was made by a journalist in a satirical program. "Freedom of opinion, the press and art are things requiring the highest protection under our constitution," and that also needed to be taken into account, he said. |
| "The idea of lese-majeste no longer has a place in our criminal law," Maas said. | "The idea of lese-majeste no longer has a place in our criminal law," Maas said. |
| The German Federation of Journalists added Ms Merkel's announcement sent "the wrong signal to the Turkish government." | The German Federation of Journalists added Ms Merkel's announcement sent "the wrong signal to the Turkish government." |
| In the poem Böhmermann calls the Turkish premier a "goat fucker" and also says Mr Erdogan "watches child porn while kicking Kurds", in reference to accusations against him that he is persecuting the Kurdish minority in the country. | In the poem Böhmermann calls the Turkish premier a "goat fucker" and also says Mr Erdogan "watches child porn while kicking Kurds", in reference to accusations against him that he is persecuting the Kurdish minority in the country. |
| "Erdogan is definitely a president with a small tail," adds the comedian, in a line where "tail" is understood in German to refer to another part of the male anatomy. | "Erdogan is definitely a president with a small tail," adds the comedian, in a line where "tail" is understood in German to refer to another part of the male anatomy. |
| Ms Merkel has recently helped broker a deal with Mr Erdogan that for every refugee returned from Greece back to Turkey, one will be admitted into the EU from Turkey's refugee camps. | Ms Merkel has recently helped broker a deal with Mr Erdogan that for every refugee returned from Greece back to Turkey, one will be admitted into the EU from Turkey's refugee camps. |
| Additional reporting by agencies | Additional reporting by agencies |