Former AKP MP Hüseyin Kocabıyık Arrested for “Insulting the President”

Summary:

Former AKP lawmaker and long-time Erdoğan ally Hüseyin Kocabıyık has been arrested on charges of “insulting the President,” days after publicly criticizing the moral decay of Turkish politics and confessing to political favoritism. His detention marks another escalation in Ankara’s ongoing crackdown on dissent — this time reaching within the ruling party’s own former ranks.

From Erdoğan Ally to Outspoken Critic

Hüseyin Kocabıyık, a former Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy from İzmir and one of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s early political allies, was detained Tuesday morning and later formally arrested on charges of “publicly insulting the President.”

Kocabıyık’s fall from grace began in 2024, when he condemned the imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, calling the move “a stain on Turkey’s democracy.” His comments led to his expulsion from the AKP, and he has since become one of the few former insiders openly criticizing the party’s internal culture and moral decline.

Scandalous Confession: “They Made My Wife a Governor”

In a recent interview that quickly went viral, Kocabıyık made an extraordinary admission, describing how his wife had been appointed as a provincial governor through political favoritism.

“They made my wife a governor,” he said. “Two minister friends called me afterwards and joked, ‘We’ve nailed you to the floor.’”

The statement sparked outrage across Turkey, reigniting debate over nepotism and corruption in public appointments. It also reportedly drew the attention of prosecutors, who cited the interview and his subsequent social media posts as part of the investigation against him.

“Prison Is a Place of Renewal and Strength”

In the same interview, Kocabıyık was asked whether he feared arrest for his outspoken remarks. His answer proved prophetic:

“Going to prison is no problem for me,” he said. “Prison is not a bad place. It is a place of renewal and strength.”

He also declared that if accountability within the AKP were real, “even Erdoğan himself should be expelled from the party.”

The Detention and Charges

Kocabıyık was detained early Tuesday and questioned at Ankara Police Headquarters before being transferred to the prosecutor’s office.

In his statement to police, the former MP denied any intention to insult Erdoğan:

“My posts are public. I use social media to share my thoughts with people. There was no element of insult in what I wrote. My goal has always been to defend democracy and the rule of law. I have been a journalist, a politician, and a public intellectual for decades. My criticism was directed at practices that undermine constitutional governance, not at any individual personally.”

He stressed that his comments were warnings and reflections, not defamation. “I am someone who believes in the supremacy of law and the permanence of the constitutional state,” he told prosecutors.

Prosecutors: Comments “Exceed Freedom of Expression”

The prosecution, however, argued that Kocabıyık’s words and public remarks “exceeded the boundaries of legitimate criticism” and “damaged the honor and dignity of the President.”

The indictment accused him of “committing the offense of insulting the President in a continuous and public manner,” citing both his interview statements and his social media posts as evidence.

Following his interrogation, prosecutors referred Kocabıyık to the criminal court for arrest. The court ordered his pre-trial detention, sending him to prison pending trial under Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code — the controversial clause criminalizing insults against the head of state.

Kocabıyık’s Defense: “I Criticized for the Sake of the Republic”

In his defense before the judge, Kocabıyık repeated that he had not intended to insult anyone:

“I have spent 35 years in public life — as a journalist, adviser, and MP. I have never strayed from the constitutional line. I believe in the rule of law because it guarantees the survival of the Turkish nation. When I see that principle under threat, I criticize. My tweets begin with ‘I am warning,’ and end with ‘I advise.’ This is not an offense — it is my duty as an intellectual and a citizen.”

He added: “I never targeted any person. My words were directed at systemic problems and political decay. I urge the judiciary to remember that freedom of thought is the backbone of democracy.”

Court’s Decision and Immediate Reactions

The Ankara Criminal Court nevertheless upheld the prosecution’s request and ordered his arrest on the charge of “insulting the President in a continuous manner.”

Moments after the verdict, Kocabıyık reportedly told his lawyers and supporters:

“No one can silence me by sending me to prison. In this country, there are judges and prosecutors who no longer respect the Constitution. We will continue to fight for a democratic rule of law — more than ever. In fact, had I not been arrested, that would have been worse. This is a badge of honor for me.”

The 68-year-old former deputy was transferred to Sincan Prison late Tuesday evening, the same facility that has held numerous political detainees in recent years.

Who Is Hüseyin Kocabıyık?

Hüseyin Kocabıyık is a veteran journalist, academic, and politician who served two terms as AKP MP for İzmir between 2015 and 2023. He also worked as an adviser to former Prime Minister Tansu Çiller and contributed to several conservative media outlets before entering parliament.

Once a close ally of Erdoğan and a key AKP strategist during the early 2000s, Kocabıyık’s relationship with the leadership deteriorated as he voiced increasing concern over what he called “moral decay, favoritism, and authoritarian tendencies” within the ruling party.

His arrest is widely seen as a symbolic warning to former insiders and conservative dissidents who have begun to question Erdoğan’s leadership.

A Growing Pattern of Intolerance

Kocabıyık’s case adds to a growing list of prosecutions under Turkey’s “insulting the President” law, which has been used against thousands of journalists, academics, and opposition figures.

Rights groups argue that the clause violates free speech protections under both Turkish and international law. The government defends it as necessary to “protect the dignity of the presidency.”

Observers say the timing of Kocabıyık’s detention — following his viral remarks on corruption — reflects a deepening intolerance for dissent, even from within Erdoğan’s own ideological camp.