A Turkish court on Sunday ordered the arrest of popular political commentator Fatih Altaylı on accusations of threatening President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Altaylı’s lawyers said.
The journalist, taken into custody Saturday evening, has more than 2.8 million followers on X and 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube, where he hosts a daily show.
While discussing a poll showing that about 70 percent of people in Turkey oppose Erdoğan becoming president for life, Altaylı on Friday noted that several Ottoman sultans ended up “assassinated” or “strangled.”
A prosecutor requested that Altaylı be held in pretrial detention, arguing his remarks constituted a threat against the president.
At his court hearing, Altaylı said he was citing historical facts and did not intend to threaten Erdoğan, according to opposition media outlets citing the official transcript.
“This mentality which sees in the journalist an enemy while being intolerant of criticism must stop,” said Erol Önderoğlu, the Turkey representative for Reporters Without Borders, arguing authorities had taken Altaylı’s comments “out of context.”
Reporters Without Borders ranked Turkey 159th out of 180 countries in its 2025 World Press Freedom Index, between Pakistan and Venezuela.
Erdoğan, who served as prime minister from 2003 to 2014 before becoming president, is barred from running for another term when his mandate ends in 2028.
But the 71-year-old leader could seek to stay in power by calling early elections or amending the constitution.
© Agence France-Presse