Levent Üzümcü recounts his detention process: 'The demand for a bright future cannot be imprisoned'

Actor and General Artistic Director of the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality City Theaters, Levent Üzümcü, recounted his experiences after being detained due to a comment he made on his social media account.

Üzümcü stated that the reason cited was a comment he made on a news story he saw in the BirGün newspaper about a "comedian who received a penalty due to a Suleiman the Magnificent joke," and noted that he was accused of "publicly inciting hatred and enmity."

Stating that his mobile phone and ID were confiscated while he was being detained, Üzümcü explained that he provided his phone password immediately and was taken to the Istanbul Police Department after the procedures. Üzümcü noted that he underwent health checks four times during the detention process and was not subjected to any mistreatment.

Explaining that a folder containing his social media posts from throughout July was placed in front of him during his prosecutor's statement at the Çağlayan Courthouse, Üzümcü said he denied the accusations. Üzümcü noted that after the prosecutor's procedures, he was referred to the duty magistrate judge with a request for arrest, and a judicial control decision was issued against him in the form of a travel ban and house arrest.

''I denied the accusations against me; my demand for a bright future for our children and our country cannot be imprisoned.''

Stating that he could not communicate with anyone for a while after being released because his mobile phone was confiscated and he does not use a computer, Üzümcü thanked those who reached out to him. Üzümcü also stated that his posts would remain on his X account and that he would continue to make new posts.