Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation into pop singer Hande Yener over slogans she allegedly chanted with concertgoers and remarks she made on stage during performances in İstanbul and Muğla, the Bianet news website reported.
The Muğla Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated the probe after a complaint submitted via Turkey’s Presidential Communication Center (CİMER) by an individual who accused Yener of “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order.”
Under the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) the offense is among the most serious crimes that carries a potential sentence of aggravated life imprisonment.
The complainant reportedly claimed that during a concert in İstanbul in May 2025, Yener told the audience, “We will bring an end to this era,” which he interpreted as a call to “overthrow of the current government.”
She also allegedly joined the audience in chanting the slogan, “Jump, jump, those who don’t jump are Tayyip,” during a concert in Muğla province on May 15, 2025.
Similar slogans have previously led to legal cases in Turkey. In one instance, women activists were tried for “insulting the president” but were acquitted by a court.
The prosecutors ordered the police to take Yener’s testimony as part of the investigation.
The investigation is the latest example of pressure on artists in Turkey over their political views. In recent years prominent figures such as Sezen Aksu, Matiz and Gülşen, as well as numerous Kurdish singers, faced detentions, convictions and concert bans over their songs, social media posts or public statements.
