JINHA

İZMIR – Filiz Akıncı, accused of insulting Recep Tayyip Erdoğan by making a “hand gesture” from her balcony in the city of İzmir, Turkey, has been sentenced to 11 months and 20 days in jail.

On March 16, 2014, then-Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was leaving a rally in İzmir’s Gündoğdu Square when he passed by the house of Filiz Akıncı. Filiz was arrested on the allegation that she directed an insulting hand gesture at the Prime Minister (now President) from her balcony.

Filiz’s lawyer, Anıl Güler, argued that the case did not meet the requirements for the charge “insult against a public official” because Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was visiting the city that day in his capacity as the leader of his party, not as a public official. There was no evidence presented in the case besides the testimony of three people, two of them members of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s party, AKP.

However, the judge ruled in favor of the “aggrieved” President. Filiz is also required to pay the retainer for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s lawyer, in the amount of 1800 lira ($590). Filiz’s lawyer will appeal the case.

Filiz left the courthouse in tears with her son.

(fk/cm)