Turkish prosecutors are seeking up to three years in prison for the jailed manager of the Manifest girl band, accusing him of helping publish concert footage they deemed obscene, the T24 news website reported.
The indictment, drafted by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, accuses Tolga Akış, the band’s founder and manager, of violating Article 226 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), which criminalizes publishing obscene material or helping make it available to the public. Prosecutors submitted the indictment to an İstanbul Criminal Court of First Instance for approval.
Prosecutors claimed Akış’s role went beyond ordinary management, saying he selected the performers, organized and financed concerts and made key decisions about the band’s activities. They accused him of shaping the band’s performances and knowingly using the costumes and choreography as a marketing strategy, which they considered obscene, to promote the group.
The indictment described the performances as undermining family values, offending public morality and harming children’s psychological development. Prosecutors also claimed the performances did not qualify for a legal exemption protecting certain artistic and literary works from obscenity charges, provided children are prevented from accessing them.
Akış denied the accusations, saying he had no control over the band’s choreography or dance routines.
Akış was detained at İstanbul Airport on August 28 and subsequently jailed pending trial on an obscenity charge. Prosecutors’ earlier request to jail him pending trial also claimed that concert footage could promote LGBTQ+ identities.
The indictment described the earlier punishment of seven performers for exhibitionism as addressing only “the visible part of these acts,” with prosecutors claiming Akış was also responsible for organizing and promoting the performances.
In December 2025, an İstanbul court handed down three month suspended sentences to each of Manifest’s six members and guest performer Ayça Dalaklı for exhibitionism under Article 225 of the TCK in connection with a concert held that September.
Turkish authorities have increasingly cited obscenity and public morality to prosecute artists and impose penalties on streaming platforms, prompting criticism from rights groups who say such measures restrict artistic expression and LGBTQ+ visibility. Some analysts say the Erdoğan government’s emphasis on traditional family values is part of a broader strategy aimed at consolidating support among conservative voters while restricting alternative expressions of gender and sexuality.
