A Turkish academic and TV program host who was arrested in late January over a social media post on charges of “insulting the president” was released from pretrial detention at the first hearing of her trial, the Birgün news website reported.
Çiğdem Bayraktar Ör was released from the Bakırköy Women’s Prison in İstanbul on Monday after spending more than three weeks in pretrial detention.
Her second hearing will be held on March 11. She is facing a prison sentence of up to eight years on charges of insulting the president.
During Monday’s hearing, Ör told the court via IT Voice and Image System (SEGBİS) that she had no intention of insulting the president and that her post merely criticized the head of state.
Meanwhile, Ör filed an individual application at the Constitutional Court claiming a violation of her rights during her 24-day stay in jail.
Officials have not disclosed details of the post in question, but shortly before her detention, Ör had posted a lengthy tweet on X in which she criticized the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its leaders, accusing them of corruption, incompetence and suppression.
She described Erdoğan as unqualified for office and labeled his government as unjust and negligent. She condemned ministers for failing to take responsibility for disasters, security issues and economic mismanagement, while also denouncing politicians, media figures and bureaucrats who support the government. Ör vowed that critics would not be silenced and warned that authoritarian rule would eventually end.
Turkey has frequently used its defamation laws to prosecute journalists, academics and opposition figures, drawing concern from rights groups over restrictions on free speech.
In 2023, 6,879 people faced charges for allegedly insulting President Erdoğan or his Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, according to Justice Ministry data. Of these, 1,602 were convicted, 1,982 received suspended sentences and 1,774 were acquitted.
The prosecutions, conducted under the controversial Articles 299 and 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, have sparked criticism from rights groups, who argue that these laws are used to stifle dissent and restrict freedom of expression.