German lawyer: Erdogan lawsuits in Germany remain in place

BERLIN – A German lawyer who has represented Turkey’s president says lawsuits filed in Germany over alleged insults remain in place, despite Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s announcement that he was dropping all suits against people charged with insulting him.

Erdogan obtained an injunction ordering German TV comedian Jan Boehmermann not to repeat most of a crude poem he wrote about the Turkish leader. Separately, Chancellor Angela Merkel in April granted a request for Boehmermann to be investigated on suspicion of insulting a foreign head of state. Prosecutors haven’t decided whether to file charges.

In Turkey, hundreds were charged with insulting Erdogan, who said Friday he would be “forgiving and withdrawing all cases.”

German lawyer Ralf Hoecker told news agency dpa Saturday: “The announcement only refers to Turkey. Nothing changes in Germany for now.”

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