Türker Ertürk faces prison request over social media statements

An indictment has been completed against retired Rear Admiral Türker Ertürk, requesting a prison sentence of two to six years. The Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office initiated the investigation following statements Ertürk made in a video shared on social media.

The charges involve “threatening the public with the aim of creating fear and panic through the press and media.” The indictment focuses on comments made during a program in 2023 prior to the presidential elections. In the video, Ertürk discussed potential political changes and suggested that if democratic efforts failed to change the government, international initiatives might be made that could penalize the Turkish people.

Although Ertürk argued in his defense that the time for the subject videos had passed, the indictment maintains that the illegal content remains within the scope of ongoing crimes as it continues to be shared on social media and visual press outlets.