Breaking News: Decision on detained journalist Fatih Altaylı!

Journalist Fatih Altaylı, who was detained following targeting by Oktay Saral, chief advisor to AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was arrested on charges of threatening the President and sent to Silivri Prison.

Altaylı, who faces up to 5 years in prison, appeared before a judge for the first time today as part of the case in which he is being tried while in custody. The hearing began at 10:56. Union of Turkish Bar Associations President Erinç Sağkan requested that those remaining outside be allowed into the courtroom. The presiding judge rejected this request, stating, "The courtroom is full."

According to lawyer Hüseyin Köprülü, Celal Şengör, Murat Bardakçı, İsmail Saymaz, Ruşen Çakır, Timur Soykan, Barış Terkoğlu, Barış Pehlivan, Şule Aydın, and Faruk Süren are in the courtroom to follow the proceedings.

Fatih Altaylı was greeted with applause when he arrived in the courtroom. After the identity check, Fatih Altaylı began his defense with the opening sentence: "Dear journalists, guests, welcome to our Silivri. While being brought to the courtroom, I saw grass and a wide sky for the first time in a long while."

Altaylı continued his defense as follows:

The reason I am here today is that I want a child in the most remote corner of this country to have the same conditions as my own child. I make programs, speak, and explain things as a result of this. Because I owe a debt to this country. This country raised me.

We did not do everything we did for the Red Crescent; we also earned money, but we pay a portion of what we earned as scholarships. I think about their future just as I think about my own daughter's future.

They call me an opposition journalist; I am a critical journalist. Our parents criticized us so that we would be better. Being an opposition member involves the ideal of replacing the government; I have no such goal. I want the country to be better.

Fatih Altaylı, who has never threatened anyone in his life and who opened his screen to Erdoğan when he was threatened, would he threaten an elected person? How can recounting history be a threat? If so, all history books are threats. I am not going to talk about legal articles."

Altaylı concluded his defense with the words, "As a panel, when you watch the two-and-a-half minutes, you will see that there is no threat. If I did an injustice, I did it to my mother, my wife, and my daughter. On the contrary, I speak so that the future of young people is not under threat."

The lawyer for AKP Chairman and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated, "Altaylı's words constitute the crime of threat. However, since the complainant is the President, he should be punished under Article 306 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK)."

Altaylı replied, "The lawyer skipped the beginning of the speech. I think the President has the status of a victim. I do not think Erdoğan heard these words. But even if he did, I don't think he said, 'Oh no, Fatih will harm my physical integrity.' If that were the case, he would have to be afraid when reading a history book."

Defense attorney Rezzan Aydınoğlu said the following:

"My client is being tried for an act that is not a crime. The elements of the crime are not present. There is no act here. My client gave an example from history but did not say it would happen today. A threat is committed with specific intent and must have a counterpart in the outside world.

I do not think the President is afraid of my client's words. We have a President who said 'the world is bigger than five' at the UN General Assembly just a week ago."

Another defense attorney, Ömer Teker, spoke as follows:

"There is an impossible crime here. According to TCK Article 106, the complainant must be afraid or there must be an act capable of causing fear. We submitted an expert opinion to the file. On page 37 of the opinion, it is written that the words emphasize democracy and that the elements of the crime have not been formed.

There is only one piece of evidence in the file, and that is the video recording. That recording is also in the file. There is no suspicion of flight, therefore we request the release and acquittal of my client."

Following the statements of the defense attorneys, TBB President Erinç Sağkan began to speak. Sağkan said, "Mr. Altaylı was summoned to the courthouse many times and went and gave his statement every time he was summoned. In this incident, he was first targeted, and 9 hours later a detention decision was made. The Directorate of Communications made a statement contrary to the presumption of innocence. The first button being buttoned incorrectly led us here."

Sağkan continued:

"The crime of threat is a crime that can be committed by mentioning that one will perform an 'unjust act in the future.' It is not possible for this crime to be committed against the President because the conditions for being President are clear according to the Constitution. The detention measure did not contribute anything to this file."

PROSECUTOR REQUESTED CONTINUATION OF DETENTION

The hearing prosecutor requested that Altaylı's detention be continued and that the hearing be adjourned to a later date to allow time to submit an opinion on the merits.

HEARING ADJOURNED

The hearing was adjourned for 15 minutes. The courtroom was cleared; it will be re-entered later and interim decisions will be announced.

The court announced its interim decision. Accordingly, it was decided that Fatih Altaylı's detention will continue, the President's request to join the case is accepted, and the hearing is adjourned to 11/26/2025 at 10:00.