ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish police have detained 13 people who participated in a Women’s Day march for allegedly insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, officials and news reports said Thursday. The Cumhuriyet newspaper and other media said the suspects were detained for questioning over slogans deemed to be insulting to Erdogan. Insulting the president is a crime in Turkey, punishable by up to four years in prison. Thousands of people, including journalists, politicians, actors and schoolchildren, have been prosecuted for alleged insults to Erdogan. The detentions came despite a pledge by Erdogan last week to enact human rights reforms, including on freedom of speech.

Source: Egypt Independent March 11, 2021 11:15 UTC