YouTube restricts access to Fatih Altayli's channel due to alleged presidential threats
In a controversial turn of events, renowned Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli finds himself at the centre of a legal storm. Altayli is accused of "threatening the president" under Article 299 of the Turkish penal code, following comments made in a June 20, 2025 broadcast on his YouTube channel.
The allegations stem from a video in which Altayli referenced historical examples of people killing and strangling sultans they disliked, which was interpreted as an implicit threat against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's life. This video, publicly accessible via YouTube, reached a large audience, fulfilling the "intent to communicate" element of the alleged crime.
President Erdogan's lawyer filed a complaint on June 23 after becoming aware of the video. Subsequently, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office prepared a case, listing Erdogan as the "complainant." The Istanbul 6th Criminal Court of Peace ordered Altayli's YouTube channel blocked and its content removed following a request from the same office.
Altayli, who denies the charges, stated that he personally knows Erdogan and did not intend his remarks as a threat. However, the prosecution seeks a prison sentence of no less than 5 years for Altayli on these charges.
The trial for Altayli's case is set to take place on Oct. 3 at courtrooms opposite Marmara Prison Complex. The journalist remains in custody ahead of the trial. This case is part of a broader context of deteriorating press freedom in Turkey, where charges such as "threatening the president" are often used against journalists criticizing the government.
[1] Anadolu Agency, "Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli faces charges of 'threatening the president'," June 25, 2025. [2] Reuters, "Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli arrested over Erdogan comments," June 26, 2025. [3] BBC News, "Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli denies 'threatening Erdogan' charges," June 28, 2025. [4] TRT World, "Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli's YouTube channel continues to broadcast after his arrest," June 29, 2025.
- The Istanbul 6th Criminal Court of Peace has ordered the blockage and removal of Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli's YouTube channel following allegations that he threatened President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as stated in General-News sources.
- Controversially, renowned Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli, detained ahead of his October 3 trial, denies the implicit threat against President Erdogan as claimed under Article 299 of the Turkish penal code, according to Crime-and-Justice reports.
- The ongoing legal battle against Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli, who faces a potential 5-year prison sentence, is part of the broader context of diminishing press freedom in Turkey, as suggested by various news outlets, including Turkısh ones.
