May 17, 2017•Update: May 18, 2017
By Melike Gallenkus
ISTANBUL
A prosecutor filed indictments on Wednesday against two people separately accused of insulting Turkey’s founding leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
The two men could face up to seven years in jail.
Istanbul's Bakirkoy Prosecutor's Office said the suspects were accused of “defamation of Ataturk’s memory” and “inciting people to hatred and hostility".
Suleyman Yesilyurt, a 68-year-old historian, was remanded in custody on Friday over his claims made during a live TV broadcast.
Turkey’s Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTUK) also fined a private television channel called TVnet on Wednesday after the show called Derin Tarih (Deep History) -- which is hosted by Yesilyurt -- was aired on Saturday.
The second suspect, Hasan Akar, remains at large since the Bakirkoy court issued an arrest warrant for both on Thursday.
A video made by Akar went viral after a Turkish TV network, Kanal D, broadcast it on May 9.
According to RTUK, the television show tarnished the reputation of Ataturk by commenting on his private life and by using the names and photos of women he was allegedly romantically involved with.
