Lord of the Rings ‘experts’ to assess character of Gollum for Turkish judge

[Syt]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/12028461/Lord-of-the-Rings-experts-to-assess-character-of-Gollum-for-Turkish-judge.html

Lord of the Rings 'experts' to assess character of Gollum for Turkish judge

A Turkish court wants an expert examination of Gollum's character for a bizarre case involving President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Is Gollum from Lord of the Rings a good guy or a bad apple?

That's what experts must help a Turkish judge decided in the trial of a man accused of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with a Lord of the Rings meme, Turkish media reports.



Turkish doctor Bilgin Ciftci is accused of sharing a meme which compares Turkey's President to the fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel series.

The judge appointed five experts after admitting he had only seen parts of the Lord of the Rings film series, according to Turkish news agency DHA.

An expert panel, which will reportedly include two academics, two behavioural experts and an expert on cinema and television productions, has been appointed.

They will be given two and a half months to review the evidence after the case was adjourned until February; however it is unclear what criteria they will use to arrive at their decision.

The accused Mr Ciftci, who lost his job as a result of the trial, denies that the comparison to Gollum is an insult, seemingly supporting the view of some LOTR fans who say Gollum was the real hero of the series.

His lawyer Hicran Danışman joked that the trial has now turned into "a case of saving the pride of Gollum".

Insulting the president is a crime punishable by a prison sentence in Turkey, with more than 200 people investigated for "insulting the head of state" between August 2014 and March 2015.

In October, Turkish police arrested a newspaper editor for 'insulting president Recep Tayyip Erdogan' on Twitter.

[Duque de Bragança]

A similar case happened Putin back in 2003, with a Harry Potter character. Nothing came out of it, IIRC.
Is there a pattern? 

Russian lawyers say Harry Potter character Dobby is based on Putin
Lawyers reportedly planning suit against Warner Brothers over apparent similarities between elf and Russian president
Putin and Dobby
Dobby the elf in Chamber of Secrets, and the Russia president Vladimir Putin, or is it the other way round? Photographs: Warner Bros/Sasha Mordovets and Getty Warner Bros/Photograph: Sasha Mordovets/Gett



A group of Russian lawyers is reportedly planning a law suit against Harry Potter producers Warner Bros over apparent similarities between Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, and CGI-tastic Chamber of Secrets star Dobby the elf.

In a story so strange it has to be true, legal eagles in the continent-spanning nation believe they can proove the bald, floppy-eared, pointy-nosed, bug-eyed creature is based on their beloved leader.

Similar suggestions have been circulating on the internet in recent months, with the BBC's children's website CBBC even going so far as to post a poll on the matter. Of 5,500 votes cast, just over 54 per cent agreed that Putin and Dobby had probably been separated at birth.

The reports of legal action originally surfaced in a Russian newspaper, according to eonline.com. A spokesman for the Russian lawyers' guild told Radio Free Europe: "Similar suits have taken place. But it's very difficult for courts to rule on them; lots of experts have to be called in. It's doubtful if it has a chance."

Reports that George Bush is unhappy at his resemblance to Gollum in The Two Towers have so far proved difficult to confirm.

http://www.theguardian.com/film/2003/jan/30/harrypotter.news

[Syt]

Is there a pattern? 

That increasingly autocratic governments have a tendency to make "insults" of their leaders a criminal offence with jail time?

Remember that Russia recently outlawed memes (as in pictures of people used in a context that doesn't relate to their occupation).

[KRonn]

Is there a pattern? 

That increasingly autocratic governments have a tendency to make "insults" of their leaders a criminal offence with jail time?

Remember that Russia recently outlawed memes (as in pictures of people used in a context that doesn't relate to their occupation).

[lustindarkness]

I am no expert, but since this is the most important topic we are currently discussing in Languish, I will give my opinion on it.


The meme in question shows Sméagol (a "good" character) on the first and third pictures, and maybe it shows Gollum (a "bad" character) in the second picture, and in that second picture (if in fact it shows Gollum) it is in a nice freeze frame compared to most of his evil faces.
And if we take under consideration the accused denial of meaning it to be a insult then the result is: It was not meant to be an insult.

[Grinning_Colossus]

I am no expert, but since this is the most important topic we are currently discussing in Languish, I will give my opinion on it.


The meme in question shows Sméagol (a "good" character) on the first and third pictures, and maybe it shows Gollum (a "bad" character) in the second picture, and in that second picture (if in fact it shows Gollum) it is in a nice freeze frame compared to most of his evil faces.
And if we take under consideration the accused denial of meaning it to be a insult then the result is: It was not meant to be an insult.

If anything, it's a deep commentary on humanity in general. The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every man, be he a lowly deformed halfling or the great Turkish Sultan.

[The Brain]

I think Gollum will survive being compared to Erdogan. Ridiculous trial.

[lustindarkness]

I think Gollum will survive being compared to Erdogan. Ridiculous trial.

He should sue, but he needs to convince Sméagol first.

[Syt]

Btw, I'm hoping that the judge is sympathetic to the defendant and is taking the piss by calling for expert judgment on Gollum's character.

[Eddie Teach]

I am no expert, but since this is the most important topic we are currently discussing in Languish, I will give my opinion on it.


The meme in question shows Sméagol (a "good" character) on the first and third pictures, and maybe it shows Gollum (a "bad" character) in the second picture, and in that second picture (if in fact it shows Gollum) it is in a nice freeze frame compared to most of his evil faces.
And if we take under consideration the accused denial of meaning it to be a insult then the result is: It was not meant to be an insult.

Even if it was all Smeagol, it'd be an insult to his appearance.

[Martinus]

Btw, I'm hoping that the judge is sympathetic to the defendant and is taking the piss by calling for expert judgment on Gollum's character.

From "regional" experience, I wouldn't put any idiocy past servile judges, though.

[Richard Hakluyt]

Btw, I'm hoping that the judge is sympathetic to the defendant and is taking the piss by calling for expert judgment on Gollum's character.

From "regional" experience, I wouldn't put any idiocy past servile judges, though.

I'm inclined to think that the judge is doing what he can without being arrested himself.

[grumbler]

I'm inclined to think that the judge is doing what he can without being arrested himself.

That's my impression as well.  The judges and prosecutors have different bosses.

[mongers]

So ritually slaughter a few analogy goats in a Martyesque way, I'd say it's not a bad comparison if we think of the ring as grandiose Turkish nationalism and Mordor is a small prime development plot outside Nuneaton.