PM Sues High School Students For Defamation

Turkey's PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken legal action for defamation against 7 high school students for saying "Ampul Tayyip" (Lightbulb Tayyip) in a press statement in Giresun province.

In early 2011, 7 high school students from Liseli Genç Umut activist group made a press statement in Giresun province where they shouted the slogan "Ampul Tayyip" and performed a sketch criticizing their curriculum.

The students were ordered to stand trial on February 14, at 9 pm local time.

"As we said many times before, we call a lightbulb, a lightbulb! We won't shy away from telling the truth. We will continue our struggle against the ones who try to form a submissive and religious youth with paid education, 4+4+4 education model nad new dress code policies. We will stand trial on February 14 and we will still call a lightbulb, a lightbulb," the students said in a statement.

Previous cases

In 2011, 9 high schools students who shouted the slogan were ordered to stand trial for "public disturbance" in Giresun province.

In 2009, 3 different cases involving the slogan were held in Bursa province courts.

* Bursa 4th District Court found 2 high school students and 2 teachers guilty for defaming PM Erdogan, sentencing them to 11 months and 20 days of prison - a sentence that was suspended later on.

* Bursa 2nd Juvenile Court found a high school student guilty for defaming PM Erdogan, sentencing him to 7 months and 23 days of prison - a sentence that was commuted to 3 months and 26 days of public service.

* Bursa 1. District Court acquitted 7 Halkevleri organization members for defaming PM Erdogan during a protest against university tuitions. (BK/HK/BM)