Popular Lebanese TV host to stand trial for insulting 'evil' President Erdogan

Neshan Der Haroutiounian will be tried in court in October after "publicly and directly offending" Erdogan and the Turkish people on his talk show 'Ana Hek'.

Responding to a message from a viewer who accused the host of racism for calling Erdogan evil, the Lebanese host Der Haroutiounian confirmed "... [he is] evil and the son of a million evil men" before clarifying his attack was directed at "Erdogan, the [Turkish] regime, the Ottomans and the Turks".

The remarks prompted a swift response from Turkish authorities who contacted the Lebanese foreign ministry and demanded the state institution take "necessary measures"  against the media personality.

Turkey's embassy in Lebanon "strongly condemns the verbal insults" against the Turkish president and requested the intervention of the Lebanese foreign ministry with the country's competent authorities to "guarantee the respect of the Turkish President in all Lebanese media", said the National News Agency.

At the time, Secretary-General of the Lebanese Foreign Ministry Hani Chmeitli demanded the information ministry take "necessary measures…knowing that such attacks would disturb the relations of Lebanon with foreign countries," NNA added.

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