Justice Minister Defends Altaylı’s Arrest: “No One Can Call the President a Dictator”

Following the arrest of journalist Fatih Altaylı, Turkish Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç defended the legal action, stating that no individual has the right to insult President Erdoğan with terms like “dictator” or to engage in propaganda that incites violence or hatred.

Tunç responded on social media, referencing Altaylı’s comments in a recent broadcast where the journalist allegedly accused President Erdoğan of planning for “lifetime presidency”, calling the remarks “baseless and slanderous.”

“Calling our President a dictator based on fabricated claims like lifetime presidency is a form of black propaganda that includes lies, insults, and incitement to violence. This cannot be accepted under any democratic legal system,” Tunç wrote.

The minister emphasized that freedom of expression is not a license to attack constitutional institutions or personal rights, stating:

“No one in a state governed by rule of law has the right to use such derogatory and inappropriate language against the President. Journalism cannot be used as a cover for threats or insults.”

He underlined that the prosecutor’s office is acting independently, applying legal procedures impartially based on the Constitution and applicable laws.

“In democratic societies, the line between criticism and crime is clear. Once that line is crossed, judicial mechanisms must act—and no one should be disturbed by that,” Tunç added.