Why was Ümit Özdağ arrested?

Zafer Party Chairman Ümit Özdağ was subject to an investigation on January 19, 2025, due to his remarks regarding President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his party's provincial chairmen consultation meeting, on charges of "insulting the President."

The investigation was later expanded to include the charge of "publicly inciting the people to hatred and hostility." Detained in Ankara, Özdağ was brought to Istanbul and gave his statement to the prosecutor at the Istanbul Courthouse. After his statement to the prosecutor, Özdağ was referred to the duty magistrate judge and was arrested on the charge of "publicly inciting the people to hatred and hostility."

The court decided to release Özdağ regarding the "insulting the President" charge; however, it ruled for his arrest on the charge of "publicly inciting the people to hatred and hostility."