Islamist group chants 'long live Sharia' slogan at Istanbul courthouse
A Turkish court released Ahmet Bostancı, who was arrested on the charges of “insulting Atatürk” after his social media post following a prayer read for his death anniversary in a mosque. After his release, an Islamist group chanted slogans of "long live Sharia" at Istanbul’s Kartal Anatolian courthouse.
Duvar English
A Turkish court on Jan. 16 ordered the release of Ahmet Bostancı, who was previously arrested for "insulting Mustafa Kemal Atatürk" after leaving a mosque in protest against prayers for Atatürk on his death anniversary and "making insulting social media posts."
Following his release, a crowd of Islamist supporters inside the courthouse chanted slogans of “long live Sharia,” in support of the Islamic law.
Turkish riot police has been deployed for any protests inside or outside the courthouses by the opposition groups for years, yet there has not been any police intervention to the particular group.
Bostancı reacted to the prayer for Atatürk at the Friday prayer on Nov. 10, 2023, and shared a social media post saying, "One cannot pray behind them. May Allah damn the infidels and polytheists. May Allah save us from these infidels.”
Bostancı was arrested after it was revealed that he had shared similar posts on social media in the past.
20-year-old was on trial for "publicly insulting the memory of Atatürk" with a prison sentence of one year and six months to four years and six months.
In his previous statement, Bostancı admitted that he had posted anti-Semitic expressions against Atatürk. Islamist groups have been often using Jewish identity as a “derogatory term to insult” others.