Ümit Özdağ, leader of Turkey’s far-right Victory Party, was arrested Tuesday on charges of “inciting hatred and enmity among the public” due to his social media activity and public statements, authorities said.
Turkey’s penal code criminalizes the incitement of hatred and enmity towards various groups in society based on class, race, religion or sect, requiring a prison sentence in cases that lead to threats to public safety.
Özdağ was detained late Monday in Ankara while dining at a restaurant and transported to Istanbul for questioning. He spent the night in police custody before appearing before prosecutors, who charged him with “inciting hatred and enmity among the people.” A court later ruled for his arrest, citing social media posts from the past five years and his alleged role in last year’s violent protests in Kayseri.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office cited 11 tweets Özdağ shared on X as evidence in its indictment. Authorities argued that his remarks, which frequently targeted refugees and migrants, contributed to deepening social divisions and posed a threat to public order.
Officials also linked Özdağ to anti-refugee riots in Kayseri in July 2024, where thousands of protesters attacked Syrian-owned homes and businesses. The riots resulted in significant damage to more than 260 residences and 160 vehicles and left at least 25 police officers and firefighters injured. The indictment claims Özdağ’s rhetoric encouraged the unrest, an accusation he denies.
Prosecutors further noted that multiple state agencies had previously refuted Özdağ’s claims about migrants, saying his statements were based on misinformation.
İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a prominent opposition figure, condemned the move as an example of “political pressure on the courts.”
“Everyone knows this is political interference in the judiciary,” İmamoğlu wrote on social media. “This government will eventually be held accountable by the people.”
Özdağ’s Victory Party also issued a statement criticizing the arrest, calling it an attempt to silence opposition voices. The party’s spokesperson, Azmi Karamahmutoğlu, described the detention as “an unjust and oppressive process.”
A vocal nationalist and anti-refugee politician, Özdağ has long been a controversial figure in Turkish politics. His party, founded in 2021, has built its platform on anti-immigrant sentiment, advocating for the deportation of millions of refugees.
His latest legal troubles stem in part from a speech he gave on January 19 at a party meeting in Antalya. During the address he compared President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government to the Crusades, accusing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of harming the Turkish nation more than the Christian military campaigns did.
“No crusade in history has caused as much harm to the Turkish nation and the Turkish state as Erdoğan and the AKP,” he said, alleging that Erdoğan had eroded national identity and filled government ranks with foreign spies and sectarian groups.
Authorities launched an investigation into his remarks, initially charging him with insulting the president, a crime in Turkey punishable by up to four years in prison. While he was later released on that charge, the separate charge of inciting hatred led to his arrest.
Turkey has long faced criticism for using its broad anti-terror and defamation laws to target opposition figures. Thousands of people have been prosecuted for allegedly insulting the president, with sentences often extended if the comments were made in public or online.
Under Article 216 of the Turkish Penal Code, inciting hatred is a criminal offense that carries a sentence of up to three years in prison. Turkish authorities have increasingly used the charge against politicians, journalists and activists critical of the government.
Özdağ’s lawyer, Sevdagül Tunçer, said in a statement that Özdağ was “being persecuted for his political views” and vowed to fight the case in court.