Turkish prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into an active-duty general over allegations that he made insulting remarks about President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and members of the president’s family, Turkish Minute reported, citing journalist Müyesser Yıldız.
The probe targets the general, who is identified only by the initials D.A. and is currently serving as a garrison commander in a major province. The investigation was launched after a complaint filed through the Presidential Communications Center (CİMER) by a former officer who was dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) following a dispute with the general.
According to the complaint, the former officer, a major identified as E.Ş., had previously clashed with General D.A. over messages shared on the military’s internal communication system, Chat-In. General D.A. accused E.Ş. of insulting him in those messages, triggering both disciplinary proceedings and a criminal complaint. The process ultimately led to the major’s expulsion from the military.
E.Ş. challenged his dismissal in court and later accused the general of attempting to intimidate a witness, identified as Lt. Col. S.T., during the legal process. Prosecutors had issued decisions of non-prosecution in earlier complaints against General D.A. and another officer, Col. S.M.
The case resurfaced after E.Ş. submitted a new CİMER complaint alleging that General D.A. had made derogatory comments about Erdoğan, his family and several senior military figures.
Following the application, a prosecutor’s office launched an investigation on suspicion of “insulting the president.” The file was subsequently transferred to the prosecutor’s office in the province where the general is stationed on grounds of jurisdiction.
In his statement E.Ş. alleged that the remarks were made during a conversation in October 2023 in General D.A.’s office, while he and Lt. Col. S.T. were watching television coverage of Israel’s assault on Gaza. According to the account, after E.Ş. expressed confidence that Erdoğan would not remain indifferent to the situation in Gaza, the general responded with comments questioning the president’s concern, criticizing the wealth and lifestyle of Erdoğan’s family and making politically charged remarks about senior figures, including former defense minister Hulusi Akar.
E.Ş. said he reported the incident because he was disturbed by the president’s name being invoked in such a manner. He also claimed that after raising the issue, he faced retaliation in the form of multiple disciplinary investigations and legal actions, alleging that the general used the authority and protection of his post to discredit him and deter scrutiny.
The investigation comes amid continued debate over Turkey’s criminal defamation laws. Insulting the president is a criminal offense under Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code, a provision widely criticized by rights groups and press freedom advocates.
Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called for the repeal of Article 299 of the penal code, saying the offense is incompatible with democratic norms and international standards of free expression. The group says the law has been enforced against a wide range of critics — including journalists, lawyers, students and activists — over speeches, protest slogans and social media posts.
Despite multiple rulings by the European Court of Human Rights finding that Article 299 violates freedom of expression and should be amended or repealed, Turkish courts continue to apply the provision. Rights organizations say the persistence of such prosecutions underscores a broader pattern of judicial pressure on critical speech and places Turkey at odds with prevailing legal standards in Europe.
