Swiss court reverses acquittal, imposes fines on defendants in ‘kill Erdogan’ banner case

The Bern Canton High Court in Switzerland today overturned the acquittals of four defendants involved in displaying a banner targeting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a rally seven years ago, media reports said.

The ruling is a reversal of a verdict in 2022, when the defendants were initially acquitted, according to reports from the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper and Swissinfo.ch.

Each of the defendants has been fined varying amounts, totaling 11,000 Swiss Francs ($12,246), for their involvement in the controversial display.

The judgement stemmed from an assessment of the banner, which depicted a gun aimed at Erdogan’s head, accompanied by the word “kill”.

The court expressed difficulty in interpreting “kill” in any other context other than as a direct incitement to violence against the Turkish president.

“The statement could not be considered impartial and could be clearly interpreted as a call for murder,” the ruling stated unequivocally.

Moreover, the court emphasised that such an incitement to commit murder could not be shielded under the guise of freedom of expression or assembly.

The case stems from a rally on 25 March, 2017.

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