Jailed far-right politician faces prison, political ban on Erdoğan insult charges

İstanbul prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of up to five years and a ban from politics for Ümit Özdağ, leader of Turkey’s far-right Victory Party (ZP), who was arrested last month on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Anka news agency reported.

Özdağ was arrested on January 21 on charges of “inciting hatred and enmity among the public” due to his social media activity and public statements. He has not yet been indicted in that case.

The indictment against him stems from a separate investigation into comments he made about Erdoğan last month.

During a meeting of his party’s provincial chairpersons on January 19, Özdağ compared Erdoğan’s government to the Crusades, accusing the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of harming the Turkish nation more than the historic Christian military campaigns.

“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 the national identity and filled government ranks with foreign spies and sectarian groups.

Prosecutors launched an investigation, 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, he remains jailed on separate charges of inciting hatred.

According to the indictment, Özdağ’s statements “damage the honor, dignity and prestige of the president.” Prosecutors claim there is sufficient evidence to charge him with “publicly insulting the president.” He faces a prison sentence of up to four years along with a political ban.

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-migrant sentiment, advocating for the deportation of millions of refugees.

His arrest has attracted criticism from across the political spectrum, with many calling the case politically motivated.

In recent years Turkish authorities have increasingly prosecuted people for criticizing Erdoğan or his government. Thousands are currently under investigation, with many facing prison time for alleged insults of the president or the AKP.

Insulting the president carries a prison sentence of up to four years, which can be increased if the offense is committed through mass media. Criticizing the government can lead to a prison sentence of up to two years. Many of these cases stem from social media posts shared by Erdoğan opponents.