Prominent Turkish journalist Fatih Altaylı was detained in İstanbul on Saturday following a YouTube broadcast in which he sharply criticised the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and raised concerns over judicial independence. Prosecutors allege that Altaylı’s comments, particularly a historical reference to overthrown Ottoman rulers, constituted a threat against the president.
İstanbul’s Chief State Prosecution launched a criminal investigation under Articles 310/2 and 106/1 of the Turkish Penal Code, which cover threats against the life of the head of state. In the video, published on 20 June, Altaylı cited a recent opinion poll indicating that 70% of respondents opposed lifelong presidential rule. He remarked: “This nation has strangled its sultans in the past,” suggesting that Turkish society historically resists hereditary or indefinite rule.
While prosecutors interpreted the phrase as a direct threat to Erdoğan, critics of the prosecution argue it was a figurative warning rooted in history. Altaylı had also accused the government of using the judiciary to construct politically motivated cases against opposition figures, drawing comparisons to Erdoğan’s use of the start of the controversial Ergenekon trials as a political stage in the early 2000s.
During the broadcast, Altaylı voiced strong support for Osman Kavala, a jailed philanthropist and human rights advocate whose detention has drawn international condemnation. “Osman Kavala has been the victim of one of the most scandalous legal proceedings in Turkish history,” he said, calling the case an “intelligence-led revenge operation” devoid of credible evidence.
He further condemned the continued imprisonment of Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş and the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s legal representative, warning that the prosecution of defence lawyers was eroding the rule of law. Mehmet Pehlivan, a senior lawyer representing İmamoğlu, was detained and later jailed in June 2025 on charges of “membership of a [criminal] organisation.” Prosecutors allege Pehlivan attempted to influence witnesses and coordinate legal strategy among other defence lawyers, accusations widely condemned by the legal community as criminalising the practice of defence. İstanbul’s Bar Association called the detention “a serious injustice” and warned it set a dangerous precedent by targeting legal counsel. “This is dangerous for the sanctity of the right to defence,” Altaylı said.
Altaylı, a veteran columnist and former television anchor, is among the most recognisable media voices in Turkey. His video critiques have gained a large audience on digital platforms amid growing pressure on independent journalism. Meanwhile, Turkey continues to rank among the world’s leading jailers of journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders.
