Jan Boehmermann

A German court upheld on Feb. 10 an earlier ruling banning parts of a satirical poem that satired Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan, a case that caused a diplomatic spat between the two conutries. 

The Hamburg court upheld its injunction issued in May banning re-publication of particular parts of the poem, which comedian Jan Boehmermann recited on television last March. 

The German government voted on Jan. 25 to scrap a "lese majeste" law that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had sought to employ against a popular German television satirist. 

Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet decided to abolish by Jan. 1, 2018 the rarely enforced section of the criminal code that prohibits insulting organs or representatives of foreign states.

Swiss authorities said on April 27 they had rebuffed a Turkish request to remove a photography installation critical of Turkey's President Tayyip Erdo?an from a public square in front of the U.N. site in Geneva.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said April 22 he will ask Ankara to clarify a call to Turks in the Netherlands to report individuals who insult the Turkey or its president.
 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has granted Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan request a legal inquiry and a possible prosecution against German TV comedian Jan Boehmermann for writing and performing a poem that the Turkish President took offence to. “Turkey has demanded prosecution of Jan Boehmermann.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will visit Turkey next week with representatives from the European Union, German government spokesperson Steffen Seibert said on April 15. 

Speaking to journalists, Seibert said European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans will accompany Merkel during her visit on April 23. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on April 15 that she accepted Turkey's request to seek prosecution of German comedian Jan Boehmermann who recited a sexually crude poem about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an on television. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on April 14 that her government was still examining a request from Turkey to prosecute a German satirist who recited a sexually crude poem about Turkish President Tayyip Erdo?an on television. 

"The consultations ... are continuing and we will inform you when they are over," Merkel told a news conference. 

Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke on April 12 about the importance of free speech as Berlin weighs a Turkish request to prosecute a German TV satirist who criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an, saying that her country was examining the request. 

Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis appeared on Thursday to have fallen for a clever hoax by a German satirical television presenter after the latter indicated that a video of the minister apparently making a rude finger gesture had not been faked as had been originally claimed.