Prosecutors Launch Probe Into Ex-journalist Over Alleged Insult to Erdogan

Ertuğrul Özkök, a former journalist, appeared at the Istanbul Justice Palace in Çağlayan on Thursday to give testimony after prosecutors launched an investigation into him for allegedly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a television program.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said in a statement that the investigation was initiated ex officio over his remarks. After his statement, Özkök told reporters, "The prosecutor took our statement. As I have said before, insulting the president is something that would never even cross my mind.

We gave our statement and left. The evaluation from now on is up to the prosecutor. The prosecutor's office also said in its statement, "An investigation has been initiated ex officio against Ertuğrul Özkök for the crime of insulting the President due to his statements in a program he attended.

Source: Hürriyet Gündem