Erdogan files criminal charges against Kubicki

Created: 09/30/2022Updated: 09/30/2022 09:56

Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki (FDP).

© Michael Kappeler/dpa/archive image

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has filed a criminal complaint against FDP politician Wolfgang Kubicki for insult through a Cologne lawyer.

The lawyer for criminal law, Mustafa Kaplan, told the German Press Agency that he had filed a criminal complaint with the public prosecutor's office in Hildesheim on behalf of Erdogan for insult and defamation.

Cologne / Berlin - The news magazine "Spiegel" had previously reported on it.

Kubicki had described Erdogan as a "little sewer rat".

When asked by the dpa, the FDP deputy said he was not concerned about a possible legal dispute with Erdogan.

According to "Spiegel", Kaplan's letter to the public prosecutor's office states that the Bundestag Vice President's statement is suitable for "making contempt" on the person concerned.

It was an "unlawful attack on another person's honor." The magazine's report was correct, Kaplan confirmed.

Because of Kubicki's statement, Ankara had already summoned the German ambassador.

Kubicki said on Friday: "The fact that Mr. Erdogan has had around 200,000 such procedures initiated since he took office in 2014 says it all.

In any case, I look forward to a possible legal dispute with equanimity.” In contrast to Turkey, Germany is a constitutional state in which freedom of opinion and freedom of expression have central constitutional status.

According to his own statements, Kubicki had chosen the animal comparison in connection with Turkey's refugee policy.

Erdogan has made a deal with the European Union to reduce the number of refugees that is advantageous for Turkey.

"Nevertheless, we have to see that the wave of refugees via the Balkan route is increasing again, which again poses challenges for German foreign and domestic policy," said Kubicki.

Regarding the choice of words "little sewer rat", he added: "A sewer rat is a small, cute, yet clever and devious creature, which is why she also appears as a protagonist in children's stories ("Kalle sewer rat", "Ratatouille")." dpa