First of March. No idea where the winter has gone, although that’s largely because we have been, for the most part, avoiding the places that winter inhabits. Almond trees have exploded into full blossom. Sadly, there are fewer oranges - they’re a winter fruit - but they’re not quite finished yet.
Reminder that freedom of speech is not always interpreted the same way, as a Turkish Cypriot is arrested upon landing at the airport here on a charge of insulting TRNC President Ersin Tatar. The wording of the insult is not in dispute. He admits to having posted a picture of the president on his Facebook page and having written underneath it “This man is crazy and he should be put in a straitjacket and kept away from people”. The question is whether this falls under free speech or is an offense. Until the case is heard he is banned from going abroad and must report to the police weekly. He has also been required to sign a bail bond.
Am well aware that my own posts regarding political figures are frequently less than laudatory, though possibly somewhat subtler than that of the unfortunate Mr Büyükarslan of the presidential insult. Not limited to politicians in my own country, either. Regard becoming a target as an equal opportunity venture. Have never criticised a TRNC politician on Facebook but probably simply lacked sufficient information, though not reading Turkish has not prevented my saying a little of what I thought about the president of Türkiye. Assume that Mr Büyükarslan was turned in by someone who was genuinely offended or who disliked him and that not all Facebook posters run the same risk. So expect to carry on as usual - if, that is, I don’t fall foul of the new UK public order bill on the way back to Canada.
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