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German Comedian Behind Infamous Poem Defaming Erdogan Sues Merkel - Reports

A poem in which the comic, Böhmermann, accuses Turkish President Erdogan of bestiality and paedophilia in a satirical manner caused a diplomatic confrontation between Ankara and Berlin in 2016 after the late-night show host recited it on Germany's ZDF public broadcaster.
Sputnik

German popular late night show host Jan Böhmermann is bringing a lawsuit against Chancellor Angela Merkel after she condemned his poem mocking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Germany's Der Tagesspiegel newspaper reported on Tuesday. 

According to the media personality, Merkel's criticism was a "legal assessment" that can be described as a "prejudgment".

Erdogan Poem Saga Continues Amid Attempts to Reopen Case Against German Comic
Relations between Ankara and Berlin deteriorated in 2016 when the comedian read his poem on a German public broadcaster in March. As part of the so-called "defamatory poem", the comedian accused Erdogan of bestiality and paedophilia in a satirical manner.

While the act was originally meant to be a comical protest against Ankara's decision to summon Germany's ambassador over an earlier satirical skit, the poem was not well received in Turkey, with Erdogan filing a criminal complaint.

The incident also put pressure on German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who later that year authorised a probe into whether Böhmermann could be charged via a 19th-century law that protects the violation of a sovereign nation's dignity.

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