Turkish influencer Fatma Soydaş detained and jailed over alleged religious insult and indecency

Social‑media influencer Fatma Soydaş was arrested in Turkey and placed in pre‑trial detention on charges of publicly insulting religious values (Article 216/3 of the Turkish Penal Code) and publishing indecent material. Prosecutors opened the investigation after TikTok and Instagram posts – including images showing her foot and a staged kiss – were deemed to violate the law, and they blocked her accounts. A court in Istanbul ordered her detention following a request from the Ankara General Prosecutor’s Office. Soydaş argued that the controversial images were generated by artificial‑intelligence and not her own content. Presidential adviser Oktay Saral defended the authorities’ actions, calling the measures justified against those who insult religious values. The case has been reported in Turkish, Greek, English and other media outlets, and the investigation remains ongoing.