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Turkish politics get dirtier as dog framed for pooping on train

Boji, the stray dog that has captured hearts riding trains across Istanbul, has become the target of a smear campaign in the most literal sense.

Boji dog
Boji riding public transport in Istanbul. — Twitter/Boji_ist

IZMIR, Turkey — Boji, the canine commuter who has captured the hearts of the public through videos and pictures as he navigates Istanbul’s public transportation system, has become the target of a defamation campaign pitting Istanbul’s opposition-run municipality against the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

In Turkey’s polarized climate, everything from dead poets to domestic violence can be recruited for political conflict. The most recent controversy, however, was surprising even by Turkish standards: It's over dog poop.

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