One thousand eight hundred forty five

Last month the Associated Press did a piece on Erdoğan’s 1,845 prosecutions of people who “insulted” him. That’s 1,845 just since 2014.

Turkey’s justice minister says as many as 1,845 cases have been opened against people accused of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan since he came to office in 2014.

Erdoğan has been accused of aggressively using a previously seldom-used law that bars insults to the president, as a way to muffle dissent. Those who have gone on trial include celebrities, journalists and even schoolchildren.

I wish the AP had said how many were convicted and what the punishments were.

Responding to questions in parliament on Monday, Bekir Bozdag said his ministry had allowed 1,845 cases on charges of insulting Erdoğan to go ahead.

He defended the prosecutions, saying: “I am unable to read the insults levelled at our president. I start to blush.”

Oh well then – there’s no more to be said. Strength of feeling is an infallible guide to the justness of an accusation.

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