Turkey wants to imprison New York Knicks centre Enes Kanter for tweeting insults of Erdogan
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s state-run news agency says prosecutors are seeking more than four years in prison for NBA player Enes Kanter on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Anadolu Agency says an indictment prepared by the Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office accuses the New York Knicks player of insulting the president in a series of tweets he posted in May and June 2016.
Kanter, who is in the United States, would be tried in absentia.
The player is a vocal supporter of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based cleric blamed by Turkey for last year’s failed military coup.
Kanter was detained in Romania on May 20 because his Turkish passport was cancelled. He said he was able to return to the United States after American officials intervened.