Hüseyin Aydın, a lawyer for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has applied to the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) to impose a fine on Halk TV for violating the law on broadcasting following the appearance of two actors who allegedly insulted the president on the show on Friday.
The state-run Anadolu news agency reported on the petition filed by the president’s lawyer which cited the latest episode of “Halk Arenası” (People’s Arena) in which actors Müjdat Gezen and Metin Akpınar allegedly threatened and insulted President Erdoğan.
According to Aydın, the remarks made on the show violated Broadcasting Law No. 6112 and constitute a crime. He asked RTÜK to fine the network so as to deter future such broadcasts.
The petition also asked for suspension of up to five episodes of the TV show.
A court in İstanbul on Monday released two prominent actors on probation including an overseas travel ban after their questioning by a prosecutor on allegations of threatening and insulting President Erdoğan.
The two were targeted by Erdoğan in a speech on Sunday after their appearance on the Halk TV show during which they made remarks about fascism. The actors were detained by the police on Monday morning and taken to the Anadolu Courthouse on İstanbul’s Asian side.