The Istanbul court decided to arrest nine people who protested the authorities' policy towards Israel during the speech of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Anka agency reports this.
Erdogan was speaking at the TRT World media forum last week when several people in the audience started shouting slogans. They appealed to the president with the question "when will trade with Israel stop?"
The Turkish leader interrupted his speech and called on the protesters "not to be the mouthpiece of the Zionists" and to not try to cause provocations. Then, nine people who participated in this protest and a similar action near the building where the forum was held were detained for violating their assembly and demonstration law. The court granted this request.
The Turkish opposition criticized this decision of the authorities, considering it an attack on the principles of democracy and freedom of speech.
