Turkish authorities arrested a 16-year-old teenager in Istanbul on Thursday morning for allegedly “insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan” and “inciting hatred and enmity among the public, the Anka news agency reported.
The boy’s lawyers argued that detention would be a disproportionate measure and instead requested his release under judicial supervision, including weekly check-ins at a local police station.
The Gaziosmanpaşa 1st Criminal Court of Peace’s decision followed a social media post made by the boy, whose name has not been disclosed, on July 8. The 16-year-old was taken into custody on Tuesday and appeared before a judge on Thursday. The court ordered his arrest, citing strong suspicion of a crime, the incomplete collection of evidence and the view that judicial supervision measures would be insufficient if he were released pending trial.
In Turkey thousands of people are investigated, prosecuted or convicted on charges of insulting the president on the basis of the controversial Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which criminalizes “insulting the president.” The crime carries up to four years in prison, a sentence that can be increased if the act was committed using mass media.
Last month Human Rights Watch called on Turkish authorities to repeal Article 299, saying the law is incompatible with democratic norms and international free speech standards. The human rights group said the offense was “obsolete and unjustified” and has been systematically used by authorities to silence dissent and punish criticism of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
