TURKISH PRESIDENT ERDOGAN FINED FOR CALLING PEACE STATUE A ‘MONSTROSITY’
06/03/2015 | 13:19
OPEN GALLERY 1The ‘Monument to Humanity’ was demolished by local
officials after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed is
dislike of the piece
An Istanbul court has ordered Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to
pay EURO 3,500 to an artist after the politician called his sculpture a
“monstrosity.”
Mehmet Aksoy’s ‘Monument to Humanity’ featured two human figures
towering 30 metres above the eastern city of Kars, and was designed
to symbolise reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia.
But Mr Erdogan made his feelings towards the piece clear in 2011,
when, as Prime Minister, he visited the site and suggested it should
be removed as it was being erected in the eastern city of Kars.
His comments prompted local authorities there to dismantle the artwork.
Aksoy subsequently sued Erdogan for “insult” to his work, the Anadolu
Agency reported.
During the trial, the Turkish Language Association argued in court
that the word Mr Erdogan used – “ucube”, meaning monstrosity or freak –
is not an insult, but rather means “very strange and very ugly”.
However, the court has now ordered Erdogan to compensate Aksoy for
the mental anguish caused.
Relations between Turkey and Armenia have long been strained over
the mass killings of Armenians under Ottoman rule, which mean the
two nations have no diplomatic ties.
Next month marks the 100th anniversary of the start what experts call
the Armenian Genocide – a term the Turkish government rejects.
The death toll of the tragedy is disputed, as Armenians say 1.5
million died, but Turkey estimates the total to be 300,000.