Turkish prosecutors have filed an indictment seeking a prison sentence of up to three years for pop singer and songwriter Mabel Matiz on charges of obscenity in the lyrics of his latest song, “Perperişan” (Devastated), Turkish Minute reported.
The indictment, announced after weeks of investigation, accuses the 40-year-old artist of violating Article 226 of the Turkish Penal Code, which criminalizes the distribution or publication of “obscene” content. The offense carries a sentence of between six months and three years.
Matiz, whose real name is Fatih Karaca, gave a statement at the Istanbul courthouse last week and was released under judicial supervision but barred from leaving the country. The restriction jeopardizes several international concerts he had scheduled.
The case began when the Ministry of Family and Social Services requested access restrictions on the song, claiming it violated public morals, while the interior ministry filed a criminal complaint. A court subsequently blocked access to the track on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Music, though the platforms have not removed it completely.
Matiz’s lawyer, Hüseyin Ersöz, criticized the indictment and the travel ban, calling them unlawful. He said Turkish law protects artistic and literary works from criminal prosecution. “You may not like a work of art, but if you turn it into the subject of a criminal probe, you infringe on freedom of expression,” he wrote on X.
Ersöz argued that the restrictions were disproportionate, noting that the travel ban was imposed even before prosecutors questioned the singer.
Matiz, who is openly gay and has built a wide following in Turkey’s pop music scene since the early 2010s, denied the accusations. He said his song draws on the tradition of Turkish folk literature, using metaphors to tell a love story.
“I want to believe that public order and our collective well-being are not so fragile as to be disrupted by a mere song,” he wrote on his social media accounts.
Matiz has been a prominent figure in Turkey’s music industry for more than a decade, with albums such as “Maya” (2018) and “Fatih” (2023) reaching large audiences. He has also written songs for other prominent Turkish artists and is known for his outspoken support for the LGBTQ community.
The investigation into Matiz follows recent obscenity probes into other artists, including the alternative music group Manifest, which faced charges earlier this month over alleged “indecent acts” during a performance.
