Turkish justice has launched an investigation into British economist Timothy Ash, who is accused of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after several statements made during an event in Bodrum.
According to foreign media reports, the incident is related to a video filmed during the event, where Ash was talking about world leaders and stated that the world is experiencing an era of leaders who may be "sociopaths." He then mentioned the names of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
However, the economist immediately realized the mistake and stopped the statement, saying that he was not referring to Erdogan and that he was retracting what he had said. Ash stated that he was not aware of any official announcement about the investigation against him. He described the statement as a mistake in speech, which he immediately corrected. The economist, who specializes in economic and political issues in Turkey and travels regularly to the country, also clarified that the activity where the incident occurred was taking place under Chatham House rules, according to which statements can be used, but without identifying the author.
After the video was released, Ash said he had not intended to offend anyone. He also stressed that Erdogan and Turkey have supported the Palestinians and Gaza, denying any comparison between the Turkish president and Benjamin Netanyahu. In Turkey, the charge of insulting the president has been used in thousands of cases in recent years, including against journalists, artists and politicians for statements or posts on social media.
