Turkish authorities investigate British economist Timothy Ash

Turkish authorities launched a judicial investigation into British economist Timothy Ash for allegedly ‘insulting the president’ following comments made during an event in Alanya. The investigation was prompted by video footage published by the pro-government newspaper Sabah, which captured Ash comparing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, using the term ‘sociopaths’ before immediately attempting to retract the statement.

Ash, an economist at RBC BlueBay Asset Management, characterized the remark as a ‘slip of the tongue’ that he corrected on the spot. He noted that the event was held under the Chatham House rule, which typically protects the anonymity of speakers. In a subsequent post on X, Ash clarified that he had no intention to offend, stating that Erdoğan has ‘bravely defended Gaza and the Palestinians’ and that there is no comparison to Netanyahu.

While the investigation was reported to have ceased following his apology, the incident highlights a broader trend in Turkey, where tens of thousands of journalists, artists, and politicians have faced prosecution for insulting the president.