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Social media has been abuzz with a video of Turkish stand-up comedian Ummuhan Ozden, who made offensive remarks about Uzbek women during her performance. In particular, the Turkish comedian compared Uzbek women to prostitutes. These statements prompted a response from Uzbek diplomats in Turkey, who submitted a request to law enforcement authorities to provide a legal assessment of the incident.
What Happened?
During her performance, the comedian stated:
“I am just a nomadic girl. As a nomad, there are two things I could never do: first, treat someone unfairly, and second, wear fake eyelashes. In those, I look like Uzbek prostitutes.”
Clearly, Ozden was alluding to the significant number of women from Uzbekistan working in Turkey as prostitutes. Her words sparked outrage among Uzbeks, many of whom perceived this as an insult and began calling for a collective complaint to be filed with a Turkish court.
Diplomatic Response
The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Istanbul promptly addressed the situation. Representatives of the diplomatic mission submitted a request to Turkish law enforcement authorities, urging them to evaluate the legality of Ozden’s remarks. The diplomats emphasized the importance of defending the honor and dignity of the Uzbek people.
In the coming days, Turkish law enforcement is expected to conduct a legal review to determine whether the comedian’s statements violated any laws.
Some Uzbek citizens in Turkey even proposed organizing a demonstration near the courthouse in Istanbul to draw attention to the incident. However, diplomats reminded them that the organization of protests and demonstrations in Turkey is strictly regulated by law.
Legal Framework for Protests in Turkey
In Turkey, the organization of gatherings and demonstrations is governed by Law No. 2911, “On Meetings and Demonstrations.” According to this law, any gathering or protest must meet the following conditions:
- Notification of Authorities: Organizers must notify local authorities 48 hours before the event.
- Organizers’ Responsibilities: Organizers are required to ensure that the event proceeds peacefully and does not disrupt public order.
Failure to adhere to these rules may result in administrative or criminal liability for both organizers and participants.
Given that the Istanbul courthouse is a heavily guarded facility, the Uzbek consulate has urged its citizens to refrain from organizing or participating in any such events.
A Broader Discussion
This incident has sparked conversations not only about offensive remarks but also about the stereotypes that persist in society. Many observers emphasize that incidents like these require both legal and social evaluation to prevent the escalation of interethnic tensions.
The outcome of this situation remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: Uzbeks are determined not to let such statements go unanswered.
The article may contain inaccuracies as it is translated by AI. For more details, please refer to the Russian version of the article. If you notice any inaccuracies, you can send corrections via the Telegram bot: Uzvaibik_bot.
