The crime of 'having 117 thousand views'!..

While Turkey has beentalking about drug operations for weeks, afteradrug operation carried out in Dalaman, Muğla, on April 23rd, such aninvestigationwaslaunched that it is hard to believe.

The person against whom an investigation wasopened is a July 15 veteran, retired Police Chief Fatih Eryılmaz.

Eryılmaz, regarding the operation, saw on police accountsthatitFollowing theshares, she wrote the following on her social media account on May 30:

“Iwas on the roadyesterday evening. A piece of news I read during a break, in a country where I thought I would no longer be surprised byanything, still managed to surprise me. was of a surprising nature. That is why I noted it down and felt the need to verify it. On April 23in Muğla's Dalaman district, during a narcotics operation conducted by police units on a 3-story villa, over 100cannabis plants, 30 kg of marijuana, and a precision scale were seized. The drug dealers trying to fleewere apprehended by theofficers onduty. The individuals were involved in illicit activities in coastal provinces, acquiring property with the laundered money they obtained, and acting like mafiafigures.one of those well-known individuals who plays both sides. The successful operation is even praised by the governor's office, news reports are written, and the video is published on social media accounts. Everything is normal up to this point. However, while the police officers who conducted the operation were expecting praise, the Prosecutor's Office issued a detention order for the officers involved. The police are taken into custody by the gendarmerie on the prosecutor's instructions and spend the night in a holding cell. The next day, they are brought to coThe police officers who were brought outare released with a travel ban. How is that? If it were in the movies, we would just say it's a movie and moveon. But it is real. Howcan the police perform their dutiesin a placewhere the drug clan has the police taken into custody, and how will the publicbe served?how will the security be ensured.”

Finally, tagging the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior, as well as ministers Yılmaz Tunç and Ali Yerlikaya, I wrote, “LPlease send your inspectorsregarding this incident,conduct a transparent investigation, and remove those responsible for this disgrace from state service. How can the authorities who are supposed to ensure the security of the state and the public provide protection to drug traffickers? The salt has rotted. We are followingthe matter,” he said.So, what happened?The investigation was launched, but not against the drug traffickers.

It was launched against the person who reported the incident.

6 months later, the KöyceğizChief Public Prosecutor's Office prepared an indictment against Fatih Eryılmaz, seeking a prison sentence of 6 months to 2 years and the deprivation of certain rights, on the charge ofpublicly spreadingmisleading information, that famousoffense.

The indictment included that post by Fatih Eryılmaz; however, with a minor omission... After Eryılmaz tagged the Ministers of Justice andInteriorand requested an investigation into the incident,not ignored and primarily it was emphasized that:

“It is understood that this post wasviewed by 117 thousand peopleon the date the screenshotwas taken.”Following this, the police officers who conducted the drug operation

were...regarding the taking intocustody, it was stated as follows:“According to Article 91 of the Criminal Procedure Code, an order for

detention can be issued by the Public Prosecutor. The suspect isunder investigation by the KöyceğizChief Public Prosecutor's Office,which is conductingthe investigation. suspect police officers being taken into custody by a 'drug clan', and that the individuals under investigation for drug-related offenses had political connections, which were mere rumors, impossible to verify, and whose ownerit is understood that they shared information posted by accounts whose origins are unknown without verifying it.”

Ultimately; “when thenumber of viewsis evaluated, with the intent to create anxiety and panic among the public, the internal securityof the country, information regarding publicorder, in a manner capable of disturbing public peacewas publicly disseminated, and it was concluded that Fatih Eryılmaz should be punished.”

Is the incident true or not?

Was a drug operation conducted? Yes, it was... Asuspect caught while fleeingclaimed, "They broke my arm, but they wrote in the report that I fellwhile running away."This is theallegation.they wrote that I broke my arm forthe sake of the accusationthatI were the police officers who carried out the operation taken into custody, yes they were... From Fatih Eryılmaz First, were non-prosecution decisions issuedfor those who shared the topic? Yes, they were...

But then, based on this indictment, a lawsuit was filedagainst Eryılmaz. ItpassedIn the pastdays, his statement wastaken in Ankara via a rogatory letter to be sentto the Köyceğiz 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.Eryılmaz, in his statement, in summary, said thefollowing:

"The prosecutor prepared the indictment by taking certain parts of the sentences in the post I shared. I reject this indictment; it is unlawful. There is a fabrication of a crime here. On May 28, K...beforethe Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had the police officers who conducted the operationdetainedby a detention order. After this issue was covered in both the press and on social media, I was saddened, and after verifying the news, I made that post.I did not share misleading information with the public. From the Minister of Justice and the Minister ofInterior Affairs, Iinspector assignment and the request for an investigation to be conducted, I cannot understand how this constitutes the crime of spreading misleading information.On the other hand, regarding the post I made, there is no public lawsuit in any way.did not constitute an element that disrupts publicorder. It is obvious that a person who hasstriven for publicorder for years would not engage inacts that disrupt publicorder, and this isself-evident.”

What about the status of thosedetainedin the drug operation?

A lawsuit has been filedagainstthem... Only onesuspect was arrested... Allegedlyand somehow, that personmanaged to escape while on leavefrom prison!..

Anyway, let us not lose hope and continue to say“Turkey is a state of law” nonetheless!..

Müyesser YILDIZ

January 9, 2026