Erdogan and bully

Why did the Turkish president understand the humor of the German satirist

In Germany, an investigation has begun on the claim of the Turkish president of Recep Tayyip Erdogan against German satirist and journalist Jan Bömerman. Erdogan believes that the artist publicly insulted him with his poetic performance on the air. At the same time, Boermann wants to be held accountable by law adopted back in the days of Kaiser Germany, which has not been used for many years and soon to be canceled.

The main thing in this story is the decision of the German Chancellor Angel Merkel, who did not defend freedom of speech in this case and allowed the prosecutor’s office to conduct an investigation under the article “Insulting the bodies and representatives of foreign states” , while announcing that the very law that remained of the Kaiser times, the government intends to abolish by 2018. Many are surprised: why then to allow the process under this article, about which they have already forgotten when it was used for the last time?

Some commentators advise the German satirist, which has now become famous not only in Germany, to delay the trial as much as possible if it begins, and, having passed through all instances, reach the abolition of the law. The process lasting two years, for German ships, is an ordinary phenomenon.

Politicians of all parties, journalists, humorists and satirists are gossiping about the essence. Says Anton Hofraiter , head of the Green Party faction in the Bundestag:

Mrs. Merkel herself politicized this case

- Mrs. Merkel herself is to blame, since she deliberately politicized this case, interfering in him. And now it’s too late to say that this is just a matter of justice. Knowing how Erdogan wipes the legs of human rights and freedom of the press in Turkey, only one could be a political response from Germany in my opinion: that the government did not accept Erdogan's lawsuit. Since Mrs. Merkel herself politicized this case, after her permission to open the investigation, she should be considered that she will hear accusations of peacefulness of the dictator and reptile to the authoritarian Turkish ruler.

General Secretary of the ruling Christian Democratic Union (Party of Merkel itself) Peter Tauber tried to protect Chancellor:

- Our government does not repent to anyone, we have a legal state. And in Germany there is both a good tradition of criticism of politicians, including satirical criticism, and the tradition of perceiving this criticism. This tradition is based on free opinions, and this is great. Many German politicians are accustomed to various injections, and some even learned to "type points", publicly laughing at themselves. But in the legal state we must comply with all the established rules and applicable laws. One of them says: insulting the heads of foreign states is a crime. And we cannot just say that we have such a law, but it is not interesting to us. This law is applicable to any head of any state criticized by us. Whether there was an insult in concrete criticism, independent courts should decide. Therefore, I would advise everyone to calm down about this story and not to escalate passions.

Nevertheless, Merkel is criticized in the press and in society for its decision, adopted, as some believe, for the sake of Erdogan, to a meeting with which the chancellor will fly on April 23, along with the chairman of the European Council Donald Tupskoye, to solve refugee problems. These European problems without the help of Erdogan, with whom the relevant agreement is concluded , cannot be resolved, so Angel Merkel, as some believe, had to "get out". To tell Erdogan that for German politicians their public ridicule and comparison knows with whom - a common thing, she did not dare. The rating of the head of government after this story became even lower.

This is how the president cannot be said, it would be an insult

But the point here, of course, is in the text itself. The German satirist, criticizing the appeal of Recep Erdogan and the media in Turkey, played a small performance on the body, as if sparkling on the topic that it is unacceptable in the media in relation to senior officials. Predicting the improvisation, which he called the "insulting verse", Jan Bömerman said in advance that the public pronunciation of such a text in Germany is punishable by law as an insult, unlike criticism of real actions and actions of a politician. In the "offensive verse" of Boemman, the rude and humiliating Erdogan of pseudo -affirming in the spirit of Cossacks of the Cossacks to the Turkish sultan sound, but under the sauce "you can’t say this, right?".

Starting his verse with the accusations of Erdogan in stupidity and cowardice and continuing the description of the disgusting smell that allegedly emanating from him, the satirist describes the sexual life of the Turkish president, and also mentions the "slap in the country", which, according to him, Erdogan gives the Kurds and Christians. In obscene expressions, Boemman lifts everything, up to the anatomy of Erdogan, without ceasing to remind in the intervals: "It is impossible to talk about the president, this would be an insult, and the laws of the laws have an appropriate article." At the very end, when applause is heard, Jan Bomerman manages to shout: "Do not applaud! You can’t!" It is clear that this abracadabra was not seriously said, but was deliberately bringing the case to the point of absurdity. But Erdogan took everything for a pure coin - or wanted to accept. Just in case, he acquired a lawsuit and as a private person.

Says another party murkel, Merkel, deputy of the European Parliament Elmar Brock :

- Angel Merkel, like any citizen of Germany, has the right to find a poem bad, even if others like it. And in this she did not play for Erdogan or Bomerman, but simply questioned the quality of the poem. The prosecutor's office has already taken up this case. I believe the explanation of Boerman that the poem, although externally and offensive, does not reflect his thoughts and his opinion. I believe in our justice and I am sure that Boommerman will not follow in this case. This must also be explained to Mr. Erdogan, although he, of course, also has the right to protect reputation and personality.

The case is discussed, of course, in the journalistic environment. Says Frank Yuburalall , Chairman of the Association of Unions of German Journalists (DJV):

Madam Chancellor hit or, according to others, he herself drove herself into a difficult situation

- Such a discussion that we are now leading in the media and in society, in Turkey is unimaginable, is impossible. If you look at the state of the press in Turkey, then a sad picture will appear before us. Here we do not adhere to any one opinion and gaze here, and this is great. Madam Chancellor hit or, according to others, he herself drove herself into a difficult situation. Her statement, that she personally finds Satire Bomerman "intentionally wounding", should, as it seemed to her, lead to the fact that Erdogan would be satisfied and changed his mind to submit his application. But the opposite occurred, and the Government of Germany was in a difficult situation, because in normal life it does not interfere in legislative practice.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Merkel has already set a fresh personal example to President Erdogan. Popular in Germany, a satirist, 80-year-old Diter Hallervorden , composed a song about Merkel in which, criticizing her for the everlasting tactics of compromises and sometimes readiness to change his position to the opposite, reminded her pioneering childhood in the GDR and constant readiness to pronounce "Always ready" (Immer Bereit in German):

However, Angel Merkel, of course, will not sue the Hullervarden in court. Meanwhile, the Minister of Justice of Germany Haiko Maas (Heiko Maas) has already stated that he was working on the editors of the law in order to immediately exclude the grounds for considering the claim of Erdogan.

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  Yuri Veksler

  Foreign Correspondent of RS in Germany Mirgor2017@gmail.com