Turkish YouTuber Arif Kocabıyık arrested at Bulgarian border

Turkish YouTuber and political activist Arif Kocabıyık was arrested at the Kapıkule Border Gate while attempting to enter Bulgaria. Authorities discovered Kocabıyık hiding underneath a truck trailer during a security inspection involving a mobile scanner.

Kocabıyık, the founder of İlave TV, was subject to a judicial travel ban imposed by the Antalya 35th Criminal Court of First Instance. The ban was related to ongoing legal proceedings involving charges of insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Following his apprehension, he was transferred to Edirne L Type Closed Prison for violating judicial control measures.

Kocabıyık, who has faced multiple previous detentions and arrests related to his YouTube street interviews, stated to prosecutors that he had recently transitioned to producing travel content. Along with Kocabıyık, the truck driver was detained, and an Iranian citizen found during the same inspection was handed over to migration authorities.