Turkish model faces jail for ‘insulting Erdogan’

A former Miss Turkey beauty queen faces up to 4.5 years in prison on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on social media, the state news agency reports.

Turkish prosecutors say an investigation had been launched against model Merve Buyuksarac after Erdogan’s lawyer lodged a complaint in November 2014 against a satirical poem taken from a magazine and posted on her Instagram site, Anatolia reports.

A file photo taken in April 2014 shows Turkey’s then prime minister and current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking to members of Parliament from his ruling Justice and Development (AKP) Party. (photo credit: AFP)

The 2006 Miss Turkey, who was briefly detained last month, told an Istanbul court that she did not intend to insult the president.

In her testimony, Buyuksarac said she may have quoted a poem called the “Master’s Poem” from weekly Turkish satirical magazine Uykusuz.

But the 26-year-old said she later deleted it after one of her friends warned her that such posts could bring criminal charges in Turkey.

The “Master’s Poem” — which was shared by the model while Erdogan was serving as prime minister — criticises the Turkish strongman with lyrics adapted from the national anthem.

— AFP