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HAMBURG A German court on Tuesday rejected Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's appeal to ban outright a satirical poem recited by a comedian on German television, which had soured already-strained ties between Berlin and Ankara.
The court ruled the poem by German comedian Jan Boehmermann could not be completely banned because of Germany's free speech laws.
"Satire can be art but it doesn't have to be,"said Judge Andreas Buske."If satire is not art, it is protected by the freedom of opinion."
It decided that in view of developments in Turkey under Erdogan's leadership, criticism - including severe criticism - is admissible and Erdogan must accept that. (REUTERS)
