Nasuh Mahruki, founder and former president of the Turkish Search and Rescue Association (AKUT), was arrested pending trial of an investigation of his social media activity, the Stockholm Center for Freedom reported.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office had earlier launched an investigation into Mahruki for allegedly “publicly disseminating misleading information” and “insulting judicial authorities” in his social media posts.
In a statement posted on X, Mahruki criticized Turkey’s judiciary, referencing international indices: “This is a snapshot of the rule of law in my beloved Turkey, ranked 148th out of 173 countries in the Rule of Law Index and second-to-last among 45 European nations.”
The arrest has sparked widespread criticism online, with many expressing support for Mahruki.
“Nasuh Mahruki, who went sleepless for days during the 1999 earthquake to rescue hundreds from the rubble and whose AKUT has helped save thousands in every disaster, was arrested for saying ‘I don’t trust the Supreme Electoral Council’ on social media,” journalist Candaş Tolga Işık said.
“Not trusting the Supreme Electoral Council is not a crime. Freedom for Nasuh Mahruki,” renowned author Ahmet Ümit said.
Last week, Mahruki announced on social media that police raided his home to detain him over posts targeting Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council (YSK).
“Great Turkish nation, be alert and vigilant. The government and the YSK are setting up one last scheme to steal the elections,” he said on Nov. 12. “If not monitored, our votes will be stolen, replaced with fakes, and the election unlawfully won again. This would mark the end of the Republic of Turkey, with consequences more terrifying than your worst nightmares.”
Following his detention, Mahruki released a statement through his wife, Mine Mahruki, condemning the circumstances of the police raid. He alleged that plainclothes individuals arrived at his home during the night without proper documentation or a summons and waited outside until morning.
The investigation by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office Press Crimes Bureau follows heightened scrutiny of dissenting voices on social media in Turkey, where laws targeting “disinformation” have drawn criticism from human rights groups.
Mahruki’s case has sparked public debate over freedom of expression and judicial independence in the country. Further proceedings are expected in the coming days.
Mahruki’s arrest is the latest in a series of legal actions in Turkey targeting individuals over their social media posts. Over the past decade, the country has implemented increasingly stringent laws on digital platforms, particularly since the introduction of a 2022 “disinformation law.”
The legislation criminalizes the dissemination of “false or misleading information,” carrying prison sentences of up to three years. Critics argue that these measures are being used to stifle dissent and silence opposition voices.
The government has also ramped up monitoring of online activity, with thousands of social media users investigated annually for posts deemed critical of authorities or state institutions.