27/10/2020 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday, 27 October, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) condemned Turkey for violating the freedom of expression of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the leader of the main opposition party who was convicted in 2012 for damaging Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s reputation in Parliament. The ECHR noted that Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu had criticised the current Turkish president, then prime minister, with “harsh attacks” in “an antagonistic tone”. The court recognised the “contempt” in certain remarks but viewed it as a “provocative” style that corresponds to the “type of political invective used by politicians in the course of their debates”. By six votes to one—that of the Turkish judge—the ECHR thus ruled against Turkey and ordered it to pay the plaintiff compensation. (VL)