Turkey Gives Up On Comedy For Police Dramas

Germany finally dropped charges against Jan Böhmermann, the German comedian who caused a diplomatic crisis when his poem hurt Turkish President Erdogan’s feelings.  Prosecutors said they dropped their investigation because of insufficient evidence that the jokes were a crime. Despite charges dropped, Böhmermann still faces more court dates. President Erdogan brought his own private prosecution against the comic, who satirized Erdogan’s political style with references to everything from bestiality to “kicking Kurds and slapping Christians.”

Presumably angered by the news, Turkey went on yet another firing spree, this time suspending 13,000 police officers for alleged links to the failed coup. Turkey has dismissed, suspended or jailed over 100,000 government workers since the coup attempt in July, but insists those without proven links to the coup will be freed… eventually. It may take awhile to get around to hearing everyone’s case since Erdogan is still hung up about a poem.