Supreme Court's 'snob' ruling revealed: Tanal had pointed it out
An investigation was launched into CHP İzmir Deputy Tuncay Özkan following his remarks directed at President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. It has emerged that a ruling was issued stating that the expression in question does not constitute a criminal element.
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Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç announced in a statement on his X account on Sunday evening that an investigation had been opened into the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) İzmir Deputy Tuncay Özkan for referring to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a "snob" (züppe).
Following the decision, it became a matter of curiosity whether the word "snob" constitutes a criminal element.
THE SUPREME COURT HAD OVERTURNED IT
In a ruling dated 20.03.2008 by the 2nd Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals, under the heading "jurisprudence text," an insult case filed due to the use of the term "snob" was overturned on the following grounds:
The file was examined and the necessary consideration was given;
In light of the fact that witnesses M.E.A... and F.G..l reported in their statements taken by law enforcement that "the defendant stated to the victim, 'Who are you, you are obligated to deal with me, you low-life, dishonorable, snobs'," while in their statements taken in court they declared that "they heard the defendant arguing with nurses and citizens but did not know who said what to whom"; the contradiction between the accounts given during the hearings and the accounts given during the investigation phase should be resolved, and if it cannot be resolved, it should be stated which account is preferred and for what reason; furthermore, E.K..., who is understood to have first-hand knowledge of the incident subject to the trial, should be heard as a witness, and all evidence should be evaluated together to determine the legal status of the defendant, whereas a verdict was reached in writing as a result of incomplete investigation,
This required overturning; since the appeal objections of the local Public Prosecutor were found to be valid in this respect, it was decided unanimously on 28/02/2013 that the verdict be OVERTURNED as requested.
TANAL HAD POINTED IT OUT
CHP Şanlıurfa Deputy Mahmut Tanal had stated that according to the Turkish Language Association's definition, the word 'snob' is a descriptor criticizing affectation and excess, and does not contain an insult, adding, "According to Supreme Court jurisprudence, the expression 'snob' is not an insult and does not constitute a crime."