Turkish rescue founder Nasuh Mahruki detained over 15 July post

Nasuh Mahruki, the founder and former president of the Turkish search‑and‑rescue organization AKUT, was taken into custody in Istanbul after a social‑media post about the 15 July 2016 coup attempt. The Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a resen investigation and ordered his detention on charges of “inciting the public to hatred and hostility or degrading the public” under Article 216 of the penal code. Mahruki’s post said the coup was a "controlled" operation that had been detected in advance but was allowed to proceed, claiming the United States was the mastermind and using a chess metaphor: “Fil’i feda etmiş, Vezir’i almıştır, Erdoğan’ı Şah yapmış Türk milletini Mat etmiştir.”

After being detained at his Istanbul home, he was transferred to the police headquarters and later brought before a magistrate, which approved his pre‑trial detention. The detention came a day after Turkey marked the 10th anniversary of the failed coup. Mahruki, who had recently returned from Johannesburg with his family, has previously faced legal action for social‑media posts, including a 2024 arrest over allegations of election fraud.