Turkish prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into 168 public figures who signed a manifesto defending secularism, following a complaint by the Ministry of Education, the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) reported.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office opened the probe based on the ministry’s petition, which accuses the signatories of “inciting hatred and enmity among the public,” “insulting the state’s institutions and organs,” “insulting a public official” and “publicly disseminating misleading information.”
The manifesto, titled “We Defend Secularism Together,” was published on February 17 to mark the 100th anniversary of Turkey’s adoption of its civil code and was opened for public signatures online. It was signed by 168 prominent figures, including writers, artists, academics, journalists, lawyers, educators and representatives of professional associations.
In the text the signatories criticized what they described as a “political Islamist regime,” accusing it of gradually undermining secular education, the secular legal order and secular public life in Turkey.
In its complaint submitted to prosecutors on February 20, the Education Ministry claimed the manifesto targeted school-related Ramadan activities, although the text made no reference to the Muslim holy month. The ministry argued that participation in Ramadan-related school activities was voluntary and said the manifesto’s language went beyond limits of legitimate criticism and constituted multiple criminal offenses.
Acting on instructions from the chief prosecutor, police have begun identifying the home addresses of the signatories, and some have reportedly been summoned to give statements. After the taking of statements, the prosecutor’s office is expected to decide whether to file formal charges.
The manifesto sparked political backlash. Education Minister Yusuf Tekin said he had filed a criminal complaint against the signatories, while President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticized the manifesto, saying there is no “secularism problem” in Turkey. He vowed that he would not allow the issue to polarize the public during Ramadan.
Journalists in Turkey who are critical of government policies or report on dissenting voices have faced increasing scrutiny under laws criminalizing “insulting public officials,” “disinformation” and “terrorist propaganda” contributing to a climate of widespread self-censorship in the Turkish media.
According to Expression Interrupted, a press freedom monitoring group, 27 journalists are currently behind bars in Turkey. The country’s deteriorating media landscape was further pointed out in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), where it was ranked 159th out of 180 nations.
