A Turkish court on Sunday arrested prominent independent journalist Fatih Altayli over comments on his social media allegedly threatening President Tayyip Erdogan.
Altayli, who has more than 1.5 million YouTube subscribers, was referred to the Criminal Court of Peace in Istanbul after testifying at the prosecutor's office.
He was detained from home on Saturday over comments in a video he posted on Friday in which he addressed a poll showing most Turks opposed Erdogan ruling for life.
Prosecutors in Istanbul later said the remarks “contained threats” against the president and launched an investigation.
The text of the court's order said Altayli’s actions violated Article 310/2 via 106/1 of the Turkish Penal Code. Under the Turkish law, a person violating those articles face a minimum penalty of five years in prison.
On Friday, Altayli posted a video referencing an unnamed poll showing 70% of Turks opposed Erdogan ruling for life, saying this would “never be allowed” by the Turkish people.
Altayli also referenced past Ottoman rulers in his comments, saying people had “drowned,” “killed,” or “assassinated them in the past.”
“Look at the history of this nation ... This is a nation which strangled its sultan when they didn’t like him or want him. There are quite a few Ottoman sultans who were assassinated, strangled, or whose deaths were made to look like suicide,” he said.
His comments drew backlash from an Erdogan aide, Oktay Saral, who said on X that Altayli's “water was boiling.”
An investigation was immediately launched by the Istanbul Public Prosecutors’ Office.
During questioning, Altayli denied threatening the president. “I did not threaten President Erdogan. I only provided historical context. I do not accept the charges brought against me,” he said before the court.
Altayli's detention comes amid a series of detentions of opposition figures in recent months, including the arrest in March of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu who is Erdogan's main political rival.
Türkiye’s main opposition CHP leader Ozgur Ozel condemned the arrest of Altayli. On X, Ozel wrote, “We are facing a government that fears journalists, youth, women and the nation. But no one can be intimidated by pressure anymore. Altayli is a journalist, and he should be released as soon as possible.”
