Turkish Court Jails Man Who Punched Opposition Leader

A 28-year-old man has been sentenced to over two years in jail for punching the leader of Turkey's main opposition party in the face.



A court in Ankara on Tuesday sentenced Orhan Ovet for attacking Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the Republican People's Party, or CHP, in April 2014.



Ovet attacked the politician as he walked towards the CHP group meeting hall in the Turkish parliament.



The incident was widely condemned by all political leaders.



Orhan Ovet was convicted of "overtly insulting a public servant due his office" and "deliberately injuring a public servant."



Ankara's Penal Court of First Instance no: 3 issued a sentence of one year 15 days for the first conviction and one year five months and 15 days for the latter.



In his defense speech, the former Justice and Development (AK) Party member said: "All of them are servants of Byzantine and I have not any other thing to say."



Ovet was later expelled from the ruling AK Party.



The opposition leader did not file a complaint against him.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Ankara