The Bursa 4th Criminal Court of Peace has sentenced four people for shouting slogans about the Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The defendants were handed deferred prison sentences of 11 months and 20 days.

Another defendant, O.B., is being tried at a children’s court, while there are nine others still being tried by the Criminal Court of Peace.

Two highschool pupils, two teachers and an association member were put on trial for “insulting” the PM at a protest.

Nine more are still on trial for a protest staged against the central university entrance exam (ÖSS) on 29 March 2008.

Protest march in Bursa

According to the report of the Bursa police, a 40-strong group called the “Hope of the Highschool Youth” gathered last year and walked to a theater in Bursa. Two snare drums were played, placards were carried and slogans shouted.

Radikal newspaper journalist İsmail Saymaz quotes the report as saying: “The crowd was shouting ‘Pro-American, collaborator, first religious, now liberal, selling education’ with a recurring chorus of ‘Lightbulb Tayyip’. Then two people playing snare drums kept the rhythm, and the slogan “You are a lightbulb, Tayyip, you are a lightbulb, Tayyip, you are a lightbulb, Tayyip’ was shouted twice.”

The “lightbulb” refers to the symbol of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

The group gathered in front of the theatre and frequently shouted slogans, such as “He is a pro-American, he is a collaborator, he is an IMF lackey, he is the enemy of the students, one, two, three, you are a lightbulb, Tayyip.” and “Imam of the AKP, enemy of the students” and “jump, jump, AKP member who cannot jump”.

A megaphone was held by a highschool student, O.B., while a press statement was read by Berna Özaslan, last year also a highschool student but now at university.

The protest was also attended by teachers Hasan Özaydın and Betül Öztürk, both leaders of the Bursa branch of the educational trade union Eğitim-Sen.

Following the press statement, the group, shouting slogans, dispersed.

Satire defence not accepted

Five months later, Özlaslan, Öztürk, Özaydin and Battal were taken to trial on the charge of insulting Erdoğan, and O.B., who was under 18, was taken to Bursa Children’s Court.

Defence lawyers have argued that the slogans were satirical. They argued that in the past politician Mesut Yılmaz had been called “Bee Mesut” after the symbol for the Motherland Party (ANAP), and Deniz Baykal has been called “Six Arrow Deniz” after the logo of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), and that these incidents had never been considered insults.

Erdoğan has filed complaints in both cases

At the second hearing of the case, the PM had filed his complaint, and on 27 February 2009 the sentences were handed down. Citing Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code, the four defendants were given deferred sentences of 11months and 20 days. The court argued that the slogans were a deliberate attempt to injure the respect and dignity of the Prime Minister’s public position.

On 1 April 2008, the “lightbulb” slogan was also used at a protest organised by the DİSK and KESK trade union confederations. Nine people were put on trial at the 7th Criminal Court of Peace under the same article, and Erdoğan also filed a complaint. The last hearing will be on 18 March. (EÖ/AG)