Two Courts Throw Out Turkish President's Bid To Obtain An Injunction Against German Media Boss

from the but-it-ain't-over-yet dept

Last month, Techdirt noted that the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, had broadened his assault on free speech in Germany with even more ridiculous actions. As well as demanding that the German comedian Jan Böhmermann should be punished for an admittedly rather coarse satirical poem, Erdoğan went on to seek an injunction against the German media boss Mathias Döpfner for daring to say he laughed out loud when he read the ditty in question. Fortunately, not just one but two German courts have now (politely) told the Turkish president what he can do with his request, as EurActiv reports:

After failing to get an injunction from a lower court last month, Erdoğan also lost an appeal before the higher regional court in the western German city of Cologne.

The judges said they considered Doepfner’s letter of support "a permissible expression of opinion as protected under Article 5" of Germany’s constitution, the court said in a statement.
Unfortunately, that's not the end of the affair. First, as EurActiv notes:
Erdoğan could still seek recourse before Germany’s top tribunal, the Federal Constitutional Court.
Knowing Erdoğan, that remains a distinct possibility. Secondly, and more seriously, the main case involving Böhmermann has not been heard yet. And there it's not a matter of an injunction, but of time behind bars.

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Filed Under: germany, injunction, insults, recep tayyip erdogan


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  • icon
    That Anonymous Coward (profile), 1 Jul 2016 @ 3:32am

    Perhaps if he spent more time running his country, rather than patrolling the world to make sure no one offends him things woudl be better.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 1 Jul 2016 @ 7:18am

      Re:

      This is a HUGE and overlooked problem with the whole multicultural & "We Have a Responsibility" to help people around the world mindset.

      Like you said, instead of running his nation, he is chasing trolls because these nations have created relationships that facilitate this stupidity.

      And this was all pioneered by USA/Africa. Most elected African officials spend too much of their time lobbying the US for more money instead of taking care of their people. Every time a group of clueless college idiots run over to a country to "help", they displace the people creating an economy by offering goods/services for free perpetuating a new generation of dependence! Yes it is heartbreaking but its a reality that people refuse to face and all it does is hold Africa down! You want to help? You have to refuse to do it for them and instead, train them and MAKE them do it for themselves!

      The American and German governments charity around the world is damaging the nations they help instead of actually helping. Yes this is intentional too!

      You can damn sure bet a devil will give you anything you want or need to bring you into the fold... and once you are there...

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Wendy Cockcroft, 5 Jul 2016 @ 6:11am

        Re: Re:

        Oh, dear, where to start...

        What we're dealing with here is the colonialist "We're doing these simple folk a favour by helping them out" attitude. Now what do we call that, children? That's right, paternalistic authoritarianism. Can you say "paternalistic authoritarianism?" Good.

        Now, then, who can tell me who bankrolls corrupt regimes in which violence and oppression are common in order to a) fight proxy wars with the Russians or b) loot the country's resources while the narcissistic dictator lives the high life?

        The problem isn't "Africans are stupid, they need to learn to stand on their own two feet," it's that we can't stop interfering in their politics, by which I mean, "trying to own the gaff. Again."

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 1 Jul 2016 @ 3:47am

    out of Jan Böhmermann, Mathias Döpfner, Erdoğan and the Turkish judge who ruled for Erdoğan, there's only two persons who need to be behind bars out of this whole ridiculous saga and that's Erdoğan and that Turkish judge! had he had a pair and ruled as he should, there wouldn't have been any of this crap going on now! and the really frightening thing is that he expects to have Turkey allowed in as a member of the EU! can you imagine what the EU will be like if that happens? the man has desires of grandeur way above his station, which seem to me to be erring towards the same desires that a certain German leader had in the 40's!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 1 Jul 2016 @ 5:04am

    Has there been any significant talk in Germany over changing that ridiculous old law?

    Regarding Erdogan, what is his endgame anyway? The only thing that'd make sense is he's gunning for going down in history as the biggest clown of the millennium. He'd definitely be a barrel of laughs if he wasn't so dangerous.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      That One Guy (profile), 1 Jul 2016 @ 5:27am

      Fear, respect, same thing right?

      Regarding Erdogan, what is his endgame anyway?

      Far as I can tell his 'endgame' seems to be along the lines of making sure that no-one says anything bad about him, and since earning respect actually takes work and would require him to be worthy of respect, threatening anyone who says something he doesn't like will have to do.

      Sure he may be remembered in history as a thin-skinned thug pretending to be a head of state, but so long as he can get the 'respect' he so clearly needs while he's alive I imagine that's good enough for him.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      techflaws (profile), 1 Jul 2016 @ 9:50pm

      Re:

      Has there been any significant talk in Germany over changing that ridiculous old law?

      Sure, but in May the 'Bundesrat' lacked 5 votes so the law will stay on the books for now. The Merkel Junta plans to get rid of the law by 2018 which won't do Böhmermann any good in an upcoming trial.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    wshuff (profile), 1 Jul 2016 @ 6:25am

    I wonder how many of these type cases U.S. courts would have to hear under a Trump Administration.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      That One Guy (profile), 1 Jul 2016 @ 6:45am

      Re:

      Absolutely none, because if the president tells someone to shut up then they'd better shut up, and since the paragon known as Trump has absolutely no character flaws to criticize then clearly anyone saying anything bad about him is a liar and committing perjury most foul, and individuals like that don't deserve the protection of the courts.

      /poe

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 1 Jul 2016 @ 7:08am

    Erdoğan'ı Git kendini becer.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Ninja (profile), 1 Jul 2016 @ 10:56am

    I've come to absolutely despise this little man. I think the comparison with Gollum is offensive towards Gollum and its creator Tolkien.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 1 Jul 2016 @ 11:57am

    Then again, whilst Gollum is busy pretending to be 'The Divine Emperor Most High of Turkey, first of his name, king of the Turks and the Kurds, defender of his right not be to compared to characters from fiction'(tm) at least it slows down how much he's fucking up Turkey.

    He's obliterated their tourism industry (down 80%-90%), destroyed their economy, made sure they'll NEVER enter the EU, randomly shut down heavy industry on a whim....we need to keep him busy with frivolous crap until someone FINALLY puts a heavy caliber bullet through his smirking, magic-ring-loving face.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    GEMont (profile), 2 Jul 2016 @ 12:22pm

    Baiting the Bear was never so much fun before Erdoganja

    Is this guy, like, a ruler by inheritance?

    It has to be embarrassing the living shit out of all non-brain-damaged Turks and they should be giving some serious thought to having the basket-case removed permnanently from any and all offices of government.

    If he CAN be removed and forgotten, then he SHOULD be removed and forgotten, domestically, ASAP, before he makes Turkey the laughing stock of the entire planet.

    Just a note though - Erdogan backwards is Nag Odre, or Nag Odor, or generally the smell emanating from old horses asses - in case anyone wants to toss the dog another silly insult. :)

    ---

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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