Özlem Zengin, a deputy from Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), has called for the release of Dilruba Kayserilioğlu, who was arrested after a controversial street interview, Kronos news reported on Monday.
Kayserilioğlu was immediately arrested after criticizing the government’s temporary ban on Instagram in August. Her interview was broadcast on a YouTube channel, and she was charged with “inciting hatred and enmity among the public” and “insulting the president.”
Despite a recent court ruling that released her from charges of insulting the president, she remains in jail on accusations of inciting public hatred.
“I believe Dilruba should be tried without pretrial detention,” Zengin said, adding that while she strongly disagreed with Kayserilioğlu’s remarks, detention was unnecessary.
Zengin also emphasized the need for regulatory guidelines around street interviews, suggesting that a complete ban is not a solution. “There needs to be a regulation for interviews, and the boundaries must be clearly defined,” she said.
An overwhelming majority of Turks feel unsure and anxious when they post messages on social media, an apparent result of increasing government scrutiny of people who express critical views on online platforms, according to a recent survey.
The Turkish government has been trying to keep the press under control by imprisoning journalists, eliminating media outlets, overseeing the purchase of media brands by pro-government conglomerates and using regulatory authorities to exert financial pressure.
As a result, Turkey was ranked 158th out of 180 countries in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index published by RSF.
Following these developments, social media platforms as well as online news sites remain among the last bastions of critical journalism in Turkey. YouTube journalism has been particularly popular, with many young journalists conducting street interviews around the country asking people their opinions on popular topics.
