Altaylı, who had been in pre-trial detention for 158 days for “threatening the president,” has been sentenced to 4 years and 2 months in prison. The court ruled that Altaylı remain in detention on the grounds that there was a risk of him fleeing

EYLEM SONBAHAR, ISTANBUL

The second hearing in the trial of imprisoned journalist Fatih Altaylı on the charge of “threatening the president” over statements he made on his YouTube channel was held at the Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court on 26 November 2025. The hearing took place in Courtroom No. 2 at the Silivri Prison complex.

Altaylı, who was brought to the courtroom accompanied by gendarmes, was greeted with applause. Altaylı's lawyers and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's lawyer were present at the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

The prosecutor, who repeated their final opinion on the case requested that Altaylı be punished for the impugned crime.

President Erdoğan's lawyer stated that they agreed with the opinion and requested that Altaylı be punished.

“There was no change in the president's schedule after the broadcast”

Altaylı in his defense statement said, "I asked my journalist friend to check if there had been any changes in the president's schedule after my broadcast. I saw that there was not the slightest change in their program. There is nothing in my speech that would upset or frighten the president. I am not a member of any organization, I have not resorted to violence. I am not saying this because I am in prison, but because I feel I have been treated unfairly. I will not say I am ashamed to be standing before you, but I find it very unnecessary.” Altaylı requested his acquittal and release.

Reminding the court that his client had been detained for 158 days, lawyer Ömer Teker said, “The case file does not explain whether the elements of the crime have been established. It is absurd to think that the president would be frightened by the words my client used on the program.” Referring to examples of cases opened with the charge of ”threatening the president," Teker emphasized the acquittal decisions in these cases and demanded his client's acquittal.

Lawyer Metin Aslan also said, “At the core of the trial, we are discussing two things: whether the words spoken on the program were a threat, and if so, whether they constituted an actual attack on the president. An actual attack is carried out with an act. There was no such intent in my client's words.”

“Detention is unlawful, a warning to all the press”

Erinç Sağkan, President of the Turkish Bar Association (TBB), said, "From day one, we have been faced with a situation where certain sentences have been taken out of context and pieced together. This opinion reflects the violations of the law that have been ongoing from the outset. In terms of the type of crime, neither the material nor the moral elements of the crime have been established. There is no suspicion that Mr. Altaylı will flee; the suspicion of flight cannot be substantiated with concrete facts. The detention is completely unlawful and, in terms of press freedom, a warning to all media. This detention has now turned into punishment."

When asked for his final statement, Altaylı requested his acquittal and release.

The court sentenced Fatih Altaylı to 4 years and 2 months in prison for “threatening the president.” Altaylı's detention was ruled to continue on the grounds that there was suspicion of flight. After the verdict was read, Altaylı threw the papers in his hand and left the courtroom.

Background of the case

Journalist Fatih Altaylı was detained on 21 June and sent to pre-trial detention the following day as part of an investigation launched against him for statements he made on his YouTube channel.

In the indictment filed on 17 July on the charge of “threatening the president,” President Erdoğan was listed as the “plaintiff.” The indictment included the following statement:

"In the video titled ‘Fatih Altaylı Comments: These Have Been Tried’ published on 20 June 2025, via the YouTube account named/nicknamed ‘@fatihaltayli’ belonging to the suspect, between 26:53 and 29: 42 minutes, the suspect responded to the question directed at him, ‘Should President Erdoğan continue as President for life? 70 percent of the people are against this,’ referring to the President of the Republic of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, by saying, 'Look at the distant past, brother, this nation is a nation that strangled its sultan, a nation that booed its sultan when it did not like him, when it did not want him. It is not uncommon for Ottoman sultans to be killed, assassinated, fall victim to conspiracies, be strangled, or have their suicides staged. So, when you look at it that way, this people can give up everything or appear to have given up everything, but they do not like having their right to choose taken away and having the right to determine who will determine their destiny taken away forever. That is why those who dream of establishing a true dictatorship here can never do so. Just when they think they have established it, they realize they have not...’ ...and it is understood that the suspect committed the crime by threatening to carry out an attack on the life of the President of the Republic of Turkey..."