3 years in prison sought for high school student over 'insulting Atatürk'
Turkish prosecutors have sought up to three years in prison for a high school student on charges of “publicly insulting the memory of Atatürk.” The student was arrested last week after public backlash for making “obscene gestures with a photograph of Atatürk.”
Duvar English
Turkish prosecutors have demanded up to three years in prison for a 17-year-old high school student on charges of “publicly insulting the memory of Atatürk,” the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, Demirören News Agency reported on Sept. 28.
A Turkish court on Sept. 20 arrested the student with the initials of A.E.S over “making obscene gestures with a photograph of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.”
The student’s video spread over social media before his arrest, stirring a public backlash.
In the indictment prepared by the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the student noted that the video in question was shot about two years ago when he was a 9th grade student, and that he did not know that the person in the photo was Atatürk.
In the indictment, the prosecutors demanded a prison sentence from one year and six months to four years and six months for the student. Since the student is 17 years old, the demanded sentence was reduced by one third.
On the other hand, they decided not to prosecute the student on the charge of “inciting the public to hatred and enmity.”