Germany examining Turkish request to prosecute satirist

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday that her government was still examining a request from Turkey to prosecute the German satirist, Jan Bohmermann, who recited an obscene poem about the Turkish President, Tayyip Erdogan, on television.

Merkel emphasised the indispensability of freedom of speech and art in Germany.

While she mentioned the importance of Turkish-German cooperation concerning the refugee crisis, Merkel said that these were "completely irrespective" cases.

"The consultations ... are continuing and we will inform you when they are over," Merkel told a news conference.

Boehmermann is known for pushing the boundaries of satire and he attacked President Erdogan's personality using obscene and abusive language.

ZDF has already removed the video of the poem from its website, saying it did not meet the standards expected of its satire shows.