“Harmless” international Affairs - Causa Böhmermann

Jan Böhmermann is a German satirist and TV moderator. He gained international attention due to his work at “New Magazine Royale”. Böhmermann is known to speak up against international politicians in a satirical way.

Early 2016, Böhmermann was awarded with the “Gimme-Preis” for his satire about the former Greek minister of finance Yanis Varoufakis.

March 31, 2016 – Die Böhmermann- Affäre

Jan Böhmermann presents his poem “Schmähkritik” about the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The whole poem is completely satiric, but Turkish subtitles fail to reflect the context.

The Turkish regime and Erdoğan himself, demand the punishment of Jan Böhmermann. Chancellor Angela Merkel states, that the poem was “meant to hurt”. After being put under major pressure by the public, she takes her statement back.

Turkey continues to demand a trial for Böhmermann, based on § 103 StGB (Insult to Organs and Representatives of Foreign States).

April 15, 2016: Jan Böhmermann was put on trial.

October 4, 2016: Böhmermann wins the process.

June 1, 2017 Because of this incident, the German government decides to abolish § 103 StGB. The abolition will be valid, starting January 1, 2018.

December 14, 2017: Information about a planned attack at the satirist is released.

The Turkish criminal gang “Osamen Germania”, a rock-band-like group, planned, according to national security authority, a punishment action for Jan Böhmermann.

What started off as a joke did not only have an effect on the moderator’s life, but major impact on German-Turkish relations and politics.

Sources

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Böhmermann

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Böhmermann-Affäre

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recep_Tayyip_Erdo%C4%9Fan

https://germanlawarchive.iuscomp.org/?p=752#103

http://de.euronews.com/2017/12/14/schmahgedicht-affare-schlagertrupp-auf-bohmermann-angesetzt

http://schwarwel-karikatur.com/ngg_tag/jan-boehmermann/