The word ‘dictator’ is no longer a crime

NO DEFAMATION
Union of Office Workers Çorum Branch Chair, Ertuğrul Alper, who spoke of an ‘Erdoğan Dictatorship’ in reaction to Can Dündar and Erdem Gül’s detention, has been acquitted in the trial in which he was being prosecuted for ‘defaming the President.’ The court ruled that the expression ‘dictator’ was not defamatory but was criticism of the President.
BOUNDS OF POWER
It was said in the reasoned decision: ‘The defendant was criticising the President by implying with this word that the President, in exercising the power and authority at his disposal, was also affecting public servants who were outside the bounds of his power. In making this criticism, he did not use any words that fall under the ‘offence of defamation.’