Gaza death toll continues to rise as aid access remains severely restricted    Egypt, Saudi Arabia set to launch joint initiative to localize medical supplies production    Egypt, S. Korea hold meeting to tackle investment challenges, deepen economic cooperation    Egypt unveils 'Sinai 806' recovery vehicle and new rocket systems at EDEX 2025    UNCTAD warns of unprecedented economic collapse in Occupied Palestinian Territory, urges urgent reconstruction    US Embassy marks 70th anniversary of American Center Cairo    Egypt's TMG invests over $5bn in two Oman real estate projects    Egypt's AOI, Abu Dhabi Aviation ink 7 aerospace deals    Egypt's export councils meet to boost foreign trade    EGX closes mixed on 1st Dec    Giza master plan targets major hotel expansion to match Grand Egyptian Museum launch    How to Combine PDF Files Quickly and Easily    Maternal, fetal health initiative screens over 3.6 million pregnant women    Australia returns 17 rare ancient Egyptian artefacts    China invites Egypt to join African duty-free export scheme    Egypt calls for stronger Africa-Europe partnership at Luanda summit    Egypt begins 2nd round of parliamentary elections with 34.6m eligible voters    Egypt warns of erratic Ethiopian dam operations after sharp swings in Blue Nile flows    Egypt scraps parliamentary election results in 19 districts over violations    Egypt extends Ramses II Tokyo Exhibition as it draws 350k visitors to date    Egypt signs host agreement for Barcelona Convention COP24 in December    Al-Sisi urges probe into election events, says vote could be cancelled if necessary    Filmmakers, experts to discuss teen mental health at Cairo festival panel    Cairo International Film Festival to premiere 'Malaga Alley,' honour Khaled El Nabawy    Cairo hosts African Union's 5th Awareness Week on Post-Conflict Reconstruction on 19 Nov.    Egypt golf team reclaims Arab standing with silver; Omar Hisham Talaat congratulates team    Egypt launches National Strategy for Rare Diseases at PHDC'25    Egypt adds trachoma elimination to health success track record: WHO    Grand Egyptian Museum welcomes over 12,000 visitors on seventh day    Egypt launches Red Sea Open to boost tourism, international profile    Omar Hisham Talaat: Media partnership with 'On Sports' key to promoting Egyptian golf tourism    Sisi expands national support fund to include diplomats who died on duty    Egypt's PM reviews efforts to remove Nile River encroachments    Egypt resolves dispute between top African sports bodies ahead of 2027 African Games    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Most Germans oppose Merkel on prosecution of comedian, poll shows
Reuters Published in Ahram Online on 17 - 04 - 2016

Two thirds of Germans oppose Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to allow prosecutors to pursue a case against a German comedian who mocked Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan, a poll published on Sunday showed.
Merkel announced her decision on Friday after Erdogan demanded that Germany press charges against Jan Boehmermann after he recited a sexually crude satirical poem about the Turkish leader on German public broadcaster ZDF on March 31.
A section of the German criminal code prohibits insults against foreign leaders but leaves it to the government to decide whether to authorise prosecutors to pursue such cases.
This put Merkel in an awkward position as she has been the driving force behind a European Union deal with Turkey to stem the flow of refugees into Europe.
Sunday's survey by pollster Emnid for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper found that 66 percent of those questioned opposed Merkel's decision to allow prosecutors to pursue the case. Only 22 percent said she was right, with 12 percent undecided.
Emnid polled 500 people on Friday afternoon.
Merkel's decision had already divided her ruling coalition and prompted accusations that she failed to protect free speech.
The chancellor travels to Turkey on Saturday and her centre-left Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners, who had wanted the Turkish request to be rejected, urged her to champion freedom of opinion and of the media on the trip.
"Without these basic liberties, democracy is not conceivable - the Turkish government must recognise that too," SPD Secretary General Katarina Barley told the Bild am Sonntag.
Under the EU's deal with Turkey, Ankara will help manage the refugee crisis and be rewarded with financial aid, visa-free travel and progress in its EU membership negotiations.
ZDF has said it will help Boehmermann fight any case brought by prosecutors for mocking Erdogan. The comedian said before reciting the poem that he was intentionally going beyond what German law allowed.
The broadcaster said the cult comedian is taking a break from producing his programme until May 12. He is reportedly under police protection.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/199820.aspx

Clic here to read the story from its source.