AKIPRESS.COM - German prosecutors have dropped a controversial investigation of a comedian who read a lewd poem on German television mocking Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, citing a lack of evidence, according to The Two-Way.

Earlier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel drew widespread criticism from free speech advocates when she allowed the investigation against Jan Böhmermann to move forward in April, at Turkey's request.

Germany has a little-used law that criminalizes insulting foreign heads of state.

The controversy actually began because of a completely different video clip mocking Erdoğan. That music video, released on the German comedy program Extra3, prompted Turkey to summon the German ambassador.

In the wake of the first controversy, Böhmermann appeared on German television and read his crude poem, which "said Erdoğan kicks Kurds, smacks Christians, all while watching child pornography." There were also references to bestiality.

At the time, Böhmermann said that his poem was meant to be an example of insults that wouldn't be allowed in Germany, rather than to represent his own personal opinion about Erdoğan. That's one reason that prosecutors say they've stopped their investigation.

In a statement on YouTube after the prosecutors' announcement, Böhmermann said, "It is now officially established, at least provisionally, that this was a joke at heart." He added, "[The joke] was tasteless for some, while others at that time found it just right."

Böhmermann also criticized some German politicians over the investigation, the network reported, saying "If a joke triggers a state crisis, it is not the problem of the joke, but of the state."

The matter is not entirely over. In a separate civil case, a Hamburg court in May granted an injunction ordering Böhmermann not to repeat most of the offending poem. A full hearing on that case is due in November.