The charge of “insulting the President” has been made the reason for thousands of investigations, lawsuits and penalties against citizens. Another regulation used by the ruling power to penalise social media users, Bar Association executives, newspapers and many others has become Article 216 of the Turkish Criminal Code (TCK) on “public incitement towards resentment and hostility.” The related law article was made reason for investigations and arrests against Boğaziçi University students. According to official records, investigations were opened against 15,044 people, 2222 people were prosecuted and 256 people were convicted in 2019 based on the regulation. Besides President Erdoğan, many ministers, politicians, bureaucrats and organised crime leaders continue their targeting hate speech, whereas the Article 216 of the Turkish Criminal Code (TCK) targets critizens, who express their oppositional opinions and criticism. The number of those prosecuted based on these charges has increased by 14 times and the number of investigations has increased by 20 times in the last ten years.
10.02.2020
birgun.net