Woman JAILED in Turkey for flipping finger at Prime Minister
Quote:
Filiz Akinci was convicted of making an offensive hand gesture at Erdogan -- then prime minister -- while his bus was passing on his way to a rally for local elections in the western city of Izmir in March 2014.
In the sixth hearing of the trial on Wednesday, the court in Izmir sentenced Akinci, an economist and a mother-of-two, to 11 months and 20 days in jail, Dogan news agency reported.
The court had originally sentenced her to six months in jail, but doubled it because the "victim" was a public official, Dogan added.
Concerns have mounted in recent months over freedom of expression in Turkey, in particular over the spiralling numbers of Turks being taken to court on charges of insulting Erdogan, accused by his opponents of increasing authoritarianism.
Prosecutors last week even opened an investigation against the leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu for insulting the president by calling him a "tinpot dictator".
Without naming her, Erdogan had in a speech after the incident lashed out at Akinci for making the gesture, saying: "You did this when the prime minister of this country was passing by. I would understand if it was a man, but I do not understand how a woman could do it."
Without naming her, Erdogan had in a speech after the incident lashed out at Akinci for making the gesture, saying: "You did this when the prime minister of this country was passing by. I would understand if it was a man, but I do not understand how a woman could do it."
US Americans don't understand how lucky we really are.
I am glad some do. If someone would dare release one of those lip sync videos like they make for Obama, a few people would be snatched off their homes real quick.