New York Knicks center Enes Kanter has been vocal with his criticism of the current political regime in Turkey, particularly President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Things came to a boil over the summer, when the Turkish government reportedly issued an arrest warrant for Kanter, to which he replied on Twitter (translated from Turkish), "You cannot catch me. Hahaha. Don't waste your energy. I am already going to come to [Turkey] to spit on all of your ugly, hate-filled faces."
Now Turkey's state-run news agency, Andalou Agency, says that the country is seeking more than four years in prison for Kanter on charges of insulting the president. Via AP:
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.
Kanter, who grew up in Turkey, is a vocal supporter of Fethullah Gulen, the U.S.-based cleric blamed by Turkey for last year's failed military coup.
In his first season with the Knicks, Kanter is averaging 13.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
