01.09.2026 16:31
Arif Kocabiyik, who had a travel ban abroad within the scope of the case regarding 'insulting the President', was caught under the trailer of a truck that came to the Kapıkule Customs Area to exit to Bulgaria. The details of the detained Kocabiyik's past, from his private security officer position at Akdeniz University to his working period at the Konyaaltı Municipality, and from his parliamentary candidacy to his CHP membership process, have drawn attention again.
Arif Kocabıyık was caught under the trailer of a truck heading to Bulgaria. Kocabıyık, who was determined to have a travel ban abroad, was referred to the courthouse after his procedures.
CAUGHT UNDER THE TRUCK TRAILER
A truck arriving to exit to Bulgaria was searched at the Kapıkule Customs Area in Edirne. During the inspection, Arif Kocabıyık, hidden under the trailer, and S.P.S., a national of Iran, were caught. It was determined that Kocabıyık had a travel ban abroad within the scope of the "insulting the President" case heard at the Antalya 35th Criminal Court of First Instance. Kocabıyık, who was taken into custody, was referred to the courthouse after his procedures were completed. During this time, he answered "Anamur" to the journalists' question "Where were you going to flee?"
WORKED AS A PRIVATE SECURITY OFFICER
Born in the Elmalı district of Antalya in 1983, Kocabıyık worked as a wedding photographer for a period after graduating from vocational high school. Later working as a private security officer at Akdeniz University, Kocabıyık entered the local press with the newspaper named "Divan". In March 2018, he founded İlave TV with Turan Kural.
"ATM PERSONNEL" ALLEGATION AT KONYAALTI MUNICIPALITY
After his duty at Akdeniz University, Kocabıyık started working at the municipality in 2020 during the term of the then Konyaaltı Mayor Semih Esen. Allegations emerged that Kocabıyık received a salary for approximately 8 months without working and was "ATM personnel". Kocabıyık, however, stated that he benefited from the flexible working practice during the pandemic period and resigned from his position in the same year. He cited the pressure created on the municipality and Semih Esen as the reason for his resignation decision.
BECAME A PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE
Also stepping into politics, Kocabıyık was shown as the 12th-ranked parliamentary candidate on the İYİ Party's Antalya list in the 2023 general elections but was not elected. On April 28, 2026, a party badge was pinned on Kocabıyık by the then CHP Chairman Özgür Özel. The CHP headquarters later announced that after an examination of his past attitudes, the membership procedures of Kocabıyık, whose official registration had not yet been completed, were suspended.
ARRESTED 3 TIMES IN ONE AND A HALF MONTHS
Kocabıyık was arrested in May 2025 on charges of "insulting the President" due to his statements in a street interview. Kocabıyık, arrested on May 7, was released on May 14 but was re-arrested the next day. After his second release on May 26, he was arrested for a third time on May 28 upon the prosecutor's objection and was released on June 24. In December 2025, Kocabıyık was re-arrested in an "insulting the President" investigation carried out due to statements in another street interview and was released on February 9, 2026, with a travel ban abroad, after 66 days of detention.