Ümit Özdağ Appears in Court Over Incitement Charges Amid Ongoing Legal Battle

Ümit Özdağ, the leader of Türkiye’s nationalist Zafer Party, is set to appear in court on charges of “publicly inciting hatred and hostility” — a case that has sparked renewed debate over freedom of expression and political dissent in Türkiye. The first hearing in the case is scheduled for Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Silivri prison complex, west of Istanbul.

Background: Erdoğan Remarks Spark Detention

Özdağ was detained on January 20 in Ankara, a day after making a controversial statement during a party event in Antalya. Criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ruling AKP, Özdağ had said:

“No Crusade in the last thousand years has caused as much harm to the Turkish nation and the Turkish state as Erdoğan and the AKP.”

The remarks prompted swift legal action. Özdağ was brought to Istanbul Police Headquarters, then transferred to Istanbul Courthouse, where he was arrested under charges of incitement to hatred.

Multiple Legal Proceedings and Charges

This case is separate from an earlier one in which Özdağ was charged with insulting the President, carrying a maximum sentence of 4 years and 8 months in prison. That trial’s first hearing was held on April 29 at Istanbul’s 35th Criminal Court of First Instance.

In the current case, Özdağ is being held in pre-trial detention and faces a more severe sentence of up to 7 years, 10 months, and 15 days, according to the prosecutor’s indictment.

Charges and Indictment Details

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is seeking Özdağ’s conviction under articles TCK 216/1, 218/1, and 43 of the Turkish Penal Code, which address repeated incitement via press and media. The prosecution also requests that Özdağ be stripped of civil rights under Article 53 and that time already spent in custody be counted under Article 63.

The indictment includes 28 social media posts Özdağ made between 2020 and 2024, alleged to contain content that incites enmity or degrades certain groups.

Involvement of Ramin Saeidi and ‘AmbargoTV’

The case file also references a related investigation involving Ramin Saeidi, the alleged user of the “AmbargoTV” Twitter account, who was previously detained for similar charges.

In his 2023 testimony, Saeidi stated:

“I am originally from Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, Iran. I earn my living through artistic and media work. The Twitter account ‘@ambargotv’ does not belong to me. It currently belongs to Ümit Özdağ. I was only involved in video editing. There were others working on the same content, and I was just one of them.”

The prosecution alleges that Saeidi’s involvement and Özdağ’s media activity were part of a coordinated campaign that may have violated Turkish law on public order and incitement.

Legal and Political Implications

This high-profile case is expected to have broad political repercussions, especially given Özdağ’s rising popularity and vocal stance on immigration, national identity, and opposition to the ruling coalition.

Critics argue that the charges reflect an increasingly repressive climate for political speech, while supporters of the prosecution maintain that such rhetoric crosses legal boundaries and threatens public harmony.

The trial continues on Tuesday, June 11, in Silivri, under heavy security and growing media attention.