Turkish prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into a shopkeeper who posted a video criticizing economic conditions, invoking a controversial “disinformation law” that rights groups say has been used to curb free expression.
According to the Bold Medya news website, the investigation targets Murat Kırçı, a small business owner in the central province of Çorum, under Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code, which criminalizes the public dissemination of information deemed misleading and harmful to public order.
In a video shared on social media, Kırçı said many shopkeepers had not made a single sale while tax inspectors continued to conduct checks, addressing his remarks to Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek. Prosecutors later summoned Kırçı for questioning, according to a statement he posted online, saying an investigation was under way.
Kırçı said the video reflected conditions he was observing among local shopkeepers, adding that he would wait for the outcome of the investigation.
Over the past decade Turkey has enacted increasingly strict laws targeting digital platforms, particularly with the introduction of a 2022 “disinformation law,” which criminalizes the dissemination of “false or misleading information” and carries prison sentences of up to three years. Critics argue that these laws are used to suppress dissent and silence opposition voices.
The government has also significantly increased its monitoring of online activity, with thousands of social media users investigated annually for posts critical of authorities or state institutions.
