Prosecutor demands jail term for dethroned Miss Turkey over coup attempt tweet

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul prosecutor has demanded up to one year in jail for the winner of Miss Turkey 2017, who was previously dethroned over a tweet she posted about the July 2016 coup attempt.

The indictment prepared by the Istanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office seeks a jail term for Itır Esen on charges of “publicly insulting a segment of the public based on social class, race, religion, sect, gender or regional differences.”

The indictment, filed on Dec. 7, stated three people had filed a criminal complaint against Esen over her tweet.

According to the indictment, Esen acknowledged the tweet was written by herself and said she shared it to “commemorate the July 15 coup martyrs for ironic purposes.” She denies having any motivation to “insult” the public or the victims of the coup.

However, the prosecution demanded a jail term for Esen of between six months and one year on charges of “insulting the public.”

The Istanbul Anadolu Criminal Court of Peace is expected to either accept or reject the prosecutor’s indictment within 15 days.

Esen’s tweet had drawn outrage from the public and prompted the Miss Turkey competition to remove her crown.

Esen had been a model for a range of renowned fashion designers in the country over the past three years. She is a student in the English Language Teaching department at Istanbul University.