The Turkey legend could spend a considerable amount of time in jail after criticising his country's ruler via social media
Hakan Sukur faces the prospect of spending up to four years in jail after being charged with insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Twitter.
The former Inter and Galatasaray striker, who won over 100 caps for his country and scored 51 goals, has ventured into politics since retiring in 2008, but prosecutors have charged him with publishing derogatory content against the country’s leader and his son, according to Anatolian Agency.
Hakan was formerly one of the deputies of the ruling AKP party, but previously became critical of their policies and Erdogan, who became hostile to one of the nation’s biggest religion factions, the Islamic Gulen movement. Due to the former player’s beliefs, he was forced to quit the party during December 2013.
After leaving the AKP, he continued to work in parliament under the banner of an independent MP, though tensions remain high between the two sides.
- Goal