All Hail the Sultan: Turkish Citizen Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison After Filing Complaint Against Erdoğan
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A Mersin court sentenced Oktay Avcu to 10 months in prison after he filed a criminal complaint against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during the 2023 election campaign, ANKA News Agency reported on Feb. 18.
Complaint Leads to Arrest and Imprisonment
Avcu lodged a complaint over videos shown at Erdoğan’s rallies, which the president later admitted were montages. Some of these videos falsely depicted the outlawed PKK as endorsing opposition candidate Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.
After submitting his complaint, Avcu was detained in the courthouse on allegations of “insulting the president”. He was placed under house arrest for 18 months before being sentenced by the Mersin 21st Criminal Court of First Instance.
Avcu has appealed the verdict, arguing that his house arrest already exceeded the prison sentence. “I am the first citizen in history to be jailed for filing a complaint. Those who ignore the law will have to fight with their conscience forever,” he stated.
Legal Precedent and Ongoing Controversy
Turkey’s “insulting the president” law is frequently used to prosecute critics of the government. In October 2021, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that the law violates freedom of speech and ordered Turkey to amend it and compensate those convicted. However, Turkish courts continue to issue sentences, fueling criticism of judicial independence and political suppression.
