Turkey Arrests YouTube Journalist After Street Interview Poem Deemed an ‘Insult’ to President Erdoğan

December 05, 2025 – Turkey – 

Turkish authorities have arrested YouTube journalist Hasan Köksoy along with a man who recited a poem during one of his street interviews, intensifying concerns about the country’s shrinking space for free expression. The arrests were ordered after prosecutors claimed the poem — critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan — constituted both an “insult to the president” and “incitement to hatred,” charges frequently used against government critics.

Köksoy, known online as “Self-Reporter,” regularly films spontaneous interviews in public spaces, offering everyday citizens a platform to voice their opinions on politics, the economy, and social issues. During one such interview, participant Halil Kürklü recited a short poem that criticized the president’s leadership. The clip was later uploaded to Köksoy’s YouTube channel, drawing attention from viewers — and authorities.

Investigators asserted that the content violated Article 299 of Turkey’s penal code, a controversial law that criminalizes insults against the president. Rights groups have long warned that the provision is used not to protect public office but to suppress dissent and intimidate journalists, artists, and ordinary citizens. In recent years, thousands have faced prosecution under the statute, including social media users, activists, students, and even minors.

Press-freedom advocates condemned the arrests, describing them as another example of Turkey’s persistent campaign to silence independent voices. They noted that street interviews have become one of the few remaining avenues for uncensored public expression in a heavily restricted media landscape. With major television networks under tight political control, online citizen journalism has emerged as a vital counterbalance — but it too is increasingly targeted.

Analysts warn that the case could set a dangerous precedent: if a journalist can be detained simply for filming someone else’s poem, the boundaries of permissible speech will narrow even further. Many fear this will drive self-censorship among reporters and discourage citizens from participating in public dialogue.

As Köksoy and Kürklü await further legal proceedings, critics argue that the arrests reflect a deeper erosion of democratic norms. In a country where a poem can trigger criminal charges, they say, the future of free expression — and independent journalism — remains deeply uncertain.

Reference – 

YouTube journalist, man who read a poem in street interview arrested for insulting Erdoğan