Turkish lawyer detained for allegedly insulting ruling AKP lawmaker

Istanbul police on Tuesday detained a lawyer over a social media post allegedly insulting a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmaker,Duvar news site reported.

Mert Yaşar was taken into police custody following a tweet regarding AKP lawmaker and deputy chairwoman Özlem Zengin, who has made headlines over her controversial remarks on reports of strip searches in Turkey’s prisons.

Police raided the home of Yaşar, who is accused of making a sexual reference involving the AKP lawmaker in connection to her remarks on social media, it said.

 Zengin has come under criticism over her dismissal of the accusations of strip searches on female inmates and detainees in Turkish prisons amid an increasing number of victims stepping forth to share their accounts of the violation following a parliamentary debate that erupted in December.

The AKP official ignited further ire last week, when she spoke against women who had come forward with such allegations.

“A woman with honour and morals wouldn’t wait a year” before filing a complaint on being stripped naked, Zengin said.

Those who are disturbed by such actions, T24 news site cited Zengin as saying, would be quick to voice their victimisation.

The leader of centre-right nationalist Good Party (İYİP) on Tuesday blasted the AKP official over her remarks.

"Would you look at the remarks of a person who claims to be a deputy of this country,’’ Birgün newspaper cited Meral Akşener as saying. “Just look at this shamelessness.’’

Akşener said Zengin’s remarks were proof of how much the ruling AKP had distanced itself from the Turkish nation.