Indictment prepared against Mabel Matiz and director Sinan Tuncay over 'Ha Leylim' music video

An indictment has been prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against singer Mabel Matiz and the director of his "Ha Leylim" music video, Sinan Tuncay. The indictment charges both individuals with "publishing or mediating the publication of obscene images, writings, or words through press and media."

The prosecution has requested that Matiz and Tuncay be sentenced to prison terms ranging from 6 months to 3 years each. The indictment alleges that the images in the music video and the song lyrics were evaluated together and that "accepted boundaries regarding the general morality of society were pushed."

According to the indictment, the investigation was launched ex officio following a report dated August 13, 2026, by the Public Security Bureau of the Security Branch Directorate. The report stated that some images in the music video, which was published on public digital platforms, could be considered obscene when evaluated in conjunction with the song lyrics.

EXPERT REPORT INCLUDED IN THE INDICTMENT

The expert report included in the indictment noted that starting from the 3rd minute and 51st second of the video, two male characters were seen dancing in an environment where many people were present in an open area.

“It was determined that one of the individuals took off his jacket, and subsequently, both male individuals danced with each other, making repetitive movements by noticeably using their arm and hip areas, and that while there was only music at the beginning of the footage, the song lyrics accompanied the images as it continued...”

In his statement, Mabel Matiz indicated that he wrote, composed, and produced "Ha Leylim." Matiz stated that he wanted to express love through the song and that while developing the concept for the music video, he and director Sinan Tuncay aimed to recreate Thracian wedding traditions.

In his statement, Sinan Tuncay explained that he has been involved in directing and visual arts for approximately 15 years, that he directed the music video in question, and that they wanted to create a Thracian wedding atmosphere in the video due to the upbeat nature of the song.

In its assessment, the prosecution argued that a large crowd dancing and having fun appeared at the beginning of the video, and that in the following sections, the dance and movements of the two men became the focal point of the video. The indictment claimed that the visual and auditory elements were not independent of each other and that the lyrics and images complemented one another.

The indictment also evaluated the exemption provision stipulated in Article 226/7 of the Turkish Penal Code for works with artistic value. It was stated that this exemption could not be applied, noting that the music video was published publicly on YouTube and social media platforms and that there were no restrictions preventing children from accessing the content.