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Turkish police detain popular street interviewer after Erdoğan criticizes independent journalism - Turkish Minute

Turkish police detained Arif Kocabıyık, a popular street interviewer in Antalya, on May 7, 2025, after President Erdoğan's speech in Ankara.
The detention followed Erdoğan's denunciation of independent street interviews during a media awards ceremony and accuses Kocabıyık of insulting the president under Article 299 of the Penal Code.
Kocabıyık runs 0lave TV, a YouTube platform that features unscripted street interviews often critical of the government amidst the tightening media environment following the 2016 coup attempt.
Lawyers and fellow journalists condemned the detention as unlawful, while authorities claim monitoring interviews aims to prevent slander and misinformation online.
This arrest highlights ongoing state control over media and public discourse in Turkey, where many journalists face job risks, harassment, or jail for government criticism.

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Aydınlık

CHP Youth Branch President arrested! Subject: Insulting the President...

The CHP Kemalpaşa District Youth Branch President and three people accompanying him were arrested on the grounds that they wrote insulting words against the president on the walls.

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superhaber.com

Arif Kocabıyık, who insulted the President, was arrested

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A Haber

Kocabıyık, who insulted President Erdoğan, was arrested

Arif Kocabıyık, who was detained on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in an interview on social media, was sent to the courthouse after the procedures at the police station. Within this scope, Kocabıyık was detained and brought to the Criminal Court of Peace and arrested.

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turkishminute.com

Turkish police detain popular street interviewer after Erdoğan criticizes independent journalism - Turkish Minute

A day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan targeted street interviews in a public speech, well-known interviewer was detained in the southern province of #Antalya.

2 days ago

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stockholmcf.org

Turkish authorities detain popular street interviewer after Erdoğan criticizes independent journalism - Stockholm Center for Freedom

A day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan targeted street interviews in a public speech, well-known interviewer Arif Kocabıyık was detained in the southern province of Antalya, Turkish media reported. In a speech during a media awards ceremony on Tuesday at the presidential complex in Ankara, Erdoğan denounced street interviews, claiming they cause public unrest. He said some journalists “misused cameras and microphones” to provoke or i…

2 days ago

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