German comedian Jan Böhmermann has decided to take a four-week break from his TV show. His satirical poem about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be reviewed in court.
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Beleaguered German TV presenter and comedian Jan Böhmermann announced that he would be taking a break from broadcasting for several weeks.
He said that he took the decision "so the public and the internet can return to focusing on the important things in life like the refugee crisis, cat videos and the love life of [German TV actress] Sophia Thomalla."
Böhmermann thanked his followers on Facebook for their support and joked that he would be leaving the country "for the time being" in order to study "freedom of the press and freedom of art in greater detail" while travelling through North Korea.
However, it is unlikely that Böhmermann will have time to leave the country any time soon, after German chancellor Angela Merkel agreed to have preliminary proceedings started against the comedian - despite facing considerable opposition in her parliamentary grand coalition. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reported Böhmermann under an obscure article of German criminal law which protects foreign heads of state from being insulted.
Despite giving the green light for legal proceedings, Merkel also announced that paragraph 103 of the German criminal code would be abolished by the year 2018. Böhmermann had recited a condescending poem on his TV show on March 31, 2016, in which he had criticized Erdogan for his authoritarian leadership while also humorously stating that the Turkish President engaged in misogyny, bestiality and pedophilia. Böhmermann's poem was preceded by a disclaimer saying that he was about to illustrate the boundaries of freedom of speech and satire. The Turkish government, however, insisted that the performance was "deliberately hurtful."
Public support
According to Germany's public broadcaster ZDF, Böhmermann's show "Neo Magazin Royale" will be placed on hold until May 12, 2016. The TV channel said that it "respected" Böhmermann's decision and that it would assist him with all legal matters. However, the notorious poem has since been removed from the ZDF online media center and has also been deleted from its YouTube account. The head of ZDF said that deleting the performance was the easiest way to deal with public pressure while continuing to support the comedian.
Despite the fact that many Germans have come out in his support, Böhmermann has been under police protection for several days.
Erdogan vs. Böhmermman: 10 world politicians targeted by satire
German satirist Jan Böhmermann has sparked debates on freedom of speech in Germany with his snide video on Turkish President Erdogan. Here are other politicians around the world who've inspired parody - including Merkel.
Image: ZDF Neo Magazin Royale
Angela Merkel
As bailouts for the Greek debt crisis were negotiated, Angela Merkel was often depicted in Greek magazines wearing Nazi symbols. This cover from the satirical magazine "Mystiki Ellada," from 2012, does not explicitly do so, but does portray the chancellor wearing a World War II army uniform and a vulture on her shoulder. The German government never considered any legal claims for such depictions.
Image: picture-alliance/Rolf Haid
Donald Trump
The controversial potential Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump is often the target of cartoons and satire. The real estate mogul is not exactly open to criticism. Last Sunday (10.04.2016), "The Boston Globe" published a parody front page showing the world under his presidency. Trump shot back calling the story "stupid" and "worthless."
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/The Boston Globe
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin likes to show off his muscles on holiday photos. After he let the world see a picture of himself riding a horse bare-chested, Putin's presidential torso was also emphasized in satirical representations - such as here, during a Carnival parade in Dusseldorf in 2015.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Weihrauch
Kim Jong-un
The communist ruler of North Korea really doesn't appreciate being at the center of a joke. Upon the planned release of the satirical movie "The Interview," depicting a fictional interview with the North Korean leader and CIA plans to assassinate him, hackers attacked Sony Pictures studios. The FBI determined that the North Korean government was behind the cyber attacks.
There's a long tradition of poking fun at top politicians: This British cartoon from 1915 portrays Winston Churchill, then Secretary of the Navy, as a decadent Achilles during the Trojan War. The drawing criticized the failures of his leadership during the Battle of Gallipoli in the Dardanelles.
Image: picture-alliance/akg-images
George W. Bush
The 43rd president of the United States was one of the most reliable suppliers of jokes for late-night comedians in the US. Cartoons often underlined his alleged lack of intelligence. Satirists recently jumped on the opportunity to ridicule him once again when he revealed he had turned to painting.
Image: Getty Images/M. Tama
Jaroslaw Kaczynski
A float at this year's Carnival parade in Dusseldorf sparked diplomatic tensions between Poland and Germany. It depicted Poland as a battered woman trampled by the boot of the leader of the right-wing Law and Justice Party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski. The Polish Foreign Minister said that it showed "contempt for the Polish people and Polish politicians."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Gambarini
Benjamin Netanyahu
The Israeli prime minister with the unmistakable deep voice is regularly lampooned by the comedians of the TV show "Eretz Nehederet" ("A Wonderful Country"). The weekly satirical television show is one of the most popular in Israel. Netanyahu was never publically offended by the parodies. On the contrary, "Bibi," as he's nicknamed, was even a guest star of the show in 2013.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Guez
Ayatollah Khomeini
Just like Jan Böhmermann, the Dutch-born entertainer Rudi Carrell, who lived in Germany, created a diplomatic controversy in 1987 with a photo montage showing the leader of Iranian Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, being pelted with lingerie during a state visit. As a result, two German diplomats were expelled from Tehran.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/I. Wagner
Erdogan and Böhmermann
It is still to be seen if Jan Böhmermann's provocative poem on Erdogan will lead to a similar diplomatic crisis as back in 1987 with Iran. One thing is for sure, it is not the first time that political satire has led to tensions between countries - and the ways of dealing with it are just as varied as the ruler's political style.