Turkey’s Erdogan weeps on live TV after hearing poem
Turkish PM listens to poem written by Muslim Brotherhood politician on daughter's death in protests, dissolves in tears
A poem written by senior Egyptian
Muslim Brotherhood politician Mohammed el-Beltagi regarding the death of his 17-year-old daughter during the protests in Cairo, provoked a tearful response from Turkey’s prime minister on television on Thursday, Al Arabiya reported.
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Recep Tayyip Erdogan can be seen wiping his eyes and seems to be speechless when interviewed after having heard the poem, Euronews reported on Friday.
Erdogan cries on TV
“Once, my daughter asked me to spend one night at home with her but I was working hard and could not spare time for her…I saw my own children in el-Beltagi’s letter,” he said.
According to Al Arabiya, in 2010 Erdogan cried on camera at the deaths of children in Gaza. His wife, Emine Erdogan, also cried on camera during a 2012 visit to Myanmar’s western Rakhine state where she met with members of the Rohingya ethnic group, a heavily persecuted minority.
Prime Minister Erdogan has publicly criticized the military overthrow of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and has extended strong support to the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.
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