Turkey: Homeless man detained for insulting President Erdogan

A 66-year-old homeless man has been detained in Alanya, Antalya province, after intentionally insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in an attempt to secure food and shelter in prison. According to reports from the newspaper Sözcü, the man stated during his deposition, “I have nowhere to go. I was sleeping in landfills. That is why I have come here.”

This marks the man's fourth attempt to be imprisoned under this charge; his previous three arrests resulted in his release. Following this fourth incident, a court ordered his detention pending trial. Under Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code, insulting the president is a crime punishable by one to four years in prison.

Data from the Ministry of Justice indicates a significant rise in legal proceedings regarding “crimes against the symbols of state sovereignty and the dignity of its institutions,” including insults to the head of state. Between 2016 and the end of 2025, approximately 83,000 such investigations were opened. Observers note that these cases have increased substantially since Turkey transitioned to a presidential system in 2018, frequently targeting journalists, activists, politicians, and internet users.