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Arif Kocabıyık arrested while attempting to flee Turkey via truck trailer
YouTuber Arif Kocabıyık, known for his street interviews on the İlave TV channel, was arrested after attempting to flee Turkey via the Kapıkule Border Gate. On August 31, 2026, customs officials discovered Kocabıyık and an Iranian national, Shayan Peiman Samadi, hiding underneath the trailer of a truck destined for Bulgaria.
Kocabıyık was already subject to a judicial travel ban issued by the Antalya 35th Criminal Court of First Instance regarding charges of “insulting the President.” During his statement, Kocabıyık claimed he intended to film travel videos abroad and had followed the advice of an acquaintance to hide in the truck.
Following his arrest, the court ruled to detain Kocabıyık for violating his judicial control measures. The truck driver, Muhterem Altıntaş, was also arrested on charges of migrant smuggling. Samadi was handed over to local migration authorities.
Entities
Arif Kocabıyık · Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor's Office · Kapıkule Border Gate · Ministry of Trade · Muhterem Altıntaş · Shayan Peiman Samadi
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Arif Kocabıyık and truck driver Muhterem Altıntaş were taken into custody. www.turkgun.com · www.sabah.com.tr · www.tgrthaber.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Two individuals, Arif Kocabıyık and Shayan Peiman Samadi, were found hiding under a truck trailer at the Kapıkule Border Gate. www.turkgun.com · www.sabah.com.tr · www.tgrthaber.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Customs enforcement teams caught Kocabıyık hiding under a truck after receiving intelligence that he was staying in truck parks in Edirne. www.turkgun.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Arif Kocabıyık was under a travel ban for the crime of insulting the President under Turkish Penal Code 299/1. www.turkgun.com · www.sabah.com.tr · www.tgrthaber.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The truck involved had license plates 42 BHK 513 and 42 AKC 930. www.sabah.com.tr
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor's Office initiated judicial proceedings following the incident. www.turkgun.com · www.sabah.com.tr · www.tgrthaber.com