A Turkish court sentenced journalist Fatih Altayli to over four years in prison for “threatening” President Erdogan, drawing condemnation from rights groups.
ISTANBUL: A Turkish court sentenced prominent journalist Fatih Altayli to four years and two months in prison for allegedly threatening President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) rights group confirmed the verdict on social media platform X.
Altayli was arrested in June after discussing a poll showing 70% of Turks oppose Erdogan becoming president for life.
In a YouTube video with 1.7 million subscribers, Altayli called the poll results “not particularly surprising”.
He stated that apart from Erdogan’s AKP party supporters and some nationalist MHP voters, “no one supports such an idea”.
The journalist referenced historical Ottoman sultans who were “strangled, assassinated or allegedly committed suicide” when unpopular.
Altayli has remained in custody since his June 21 arrest.
At his October 3 hearing, he denied threatening Erdogan, saying he merely provided “elements of historical context”.
Reporters Without Borders condemned the ruling and demanded Altayli’s immediate release.
RSF’s Turkey representative Erol Onderoglu called the sentence “intimidating, antidemocratic and unacceptable”.
The press freedom group reports Turkey has arrested 20 journalists this year, with three still detained and three under house arrest.
Turkish journalists and media executives regularly face arrests, suspensions and heavy fines.
RSF ranks Turkey 159th out of 180 countries in its world press freedom index.
Erdogan, who served as prime minister from 2003-2014 before becoming president, cannot run for a fourth term in 2028.
The 71-year-old leader could potentially maintain power through early elections or constitutional reforms.
