27.01.2026 16:33
Journalist Sedef Kabaş, who was detained due to her posts on social media, was released under judicial control with a travel ban and a requirement to sign in twice a week.
Journalist Sedef Kabaş was detained last night within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on charges of "insulting the president" and "inciting to commit a crime." Kabaş, who was transferred to the Anadolu Courthouse in the morning, completed her prosecution procedures.
Kabaş, whose statement was taken at the prosecutor's office, was referred to the on-duty magistrate court with a request for judicial control.
"IT IS A PHRASE USED BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE" In her statement to the prosecutor's office, Sedef Kabaş said, "I am aware of the accusation against me. I will repeat the statement I made at the police station in the presence of my lawyer. The social media account with the username @sedefkabas that you asked about belongs to me. I am the only one who uses the account. I understood the posts you asked about. The post I made on September 9, 2025, which starts with 'Is there anyone who still thinks that only soldiers carry out coups?' is mine. The phrase 'civil coup' I used here does not contain a criminal element. It is a phrase used by millions of people. The post dated September 29, 2025, which states 'They have made an airplane without an engine.... They graduated with fake diplomas, and they are managing the country without legitimacy' belongs to me. By fake diplomas, I mean the individuals involved in the fake diploma scandal. I learned, just like the entire public, that more than 400 people graduated with fake diplomas from the news," she said.
"I DID NOT SPECIFICALLY MEAN ANYONE" Kabaş stated, "I did not specifically mean anyone. I have already used plural expressions in the statements I made. I did not point to any individual. The post dated September 9, 2025, which states 'From now on, elections will be held merely for show, there will be a ballot box, but there will be no democracy, from now on the only solution is civil disobedience' belongs to me. Civil disobedience is a constitutional right. Just like strikes, boycotts, returning to the national assembly, protests, and marches, what I meant here is the exercise of constitutional rights. Seeking a criminal element in my statement regarding the exercise of constitutional rights is, in fact, a crime. There is no call to commit a crime in any way here. All the posts I made fall within the scope of freedom of expression. They do not contain any insult, incitement to crime, or any criminal element. If I cannot even write these as a journalist, I have no right to speak in any way. It would not be possible either. I do not accept the accusation. These are all I have to say," she expressed.
RELEASED UNDER JUDICIAL CONTROL CONDITIONS Kabaş was released under judicial control with a travel ban abroad and a requirement to sign twice a week.