{"id":157145,"date":"2026-09-01T16:03:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T16:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/157145\/"},"modified":"2026-09-01T16:03:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T16:03:13","slug":"popular-turkish-street-interviewer-arrested-after-alleged-attempt-to-flee-turkey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/157145\/","title":{"rendered":"Popular Turkish street interviewer arrested after alleged attempt to flee Turkey"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Popular Turkish street interviewer Arif Kocab\u0131y\u0131k, who was barred from leaving the country while standing trial on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan, has been arrested after he was found hiding beneath a truck trailer at a border crossing with Bulgaria in an alleged attempt to violate the travel ban, the DHA news agency reported.<\/p>\n

Customs enforcement officers discovered Kocab\u0131y\u0131k and an Iranian national beneath the trailer of a truck that arrived at the Kap\u0131kule border crossing in the northwestern province of Edirne Monday afternoon, according to Turkish media reports.<\/p>\n

The truck was preparing to cross into Bulgaria when officers searched it and found the two men concealed beneath the trailer.<\/p>\n

Officials identified them as Kocab\u0131y\u0131k, known for the politically focused street interviews broadcast on his \u0130lave TV YouTube channel, and an Iranian national identified by the initials S.P.S.<\/p>\n

Sokak r\u00f6portajc\u0131s\u0131 Arif Kocab\u0131y\u0131k, t\u0131r dorsesinde Kap\u0131kule G\u00fcmr\u00fck Kap\u0131s\u0131\u2019ndan Bulgaristan\u2019a \u00e7\u0131kmaya \u00e7al\u0131\u015f\u0131rken yakaland\u0131.
Kocab\u0131y\u0131k\u2019\u0131n yan\u0131nda \u0130ranl\u0131 bir ka\u00e7a\u011f\u0131n oldu\u011fu belirlendi.
Kocab\u0131y\u0131k\u2019\u0131n \u2018Cumhurba\u015fkan\u0131na hakaret\u2019 su\u00e7undan yurt d\u0131\u015f\u0131na \u00e7\u0131k\u0131\u015f yasa\u011f\u0131 bulunuyor. pic.twitter.com\/aMDxDUBs64<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 \u0130smail Saymaz (@ismailsaymaz) August 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

A records check showed that Kocab\u0131y\u0131k was subject to a travel ban imposed by the Antalya 35th Criminal Court of First Instance in a case concerning an alleged violation of Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code, which criminalizes insulting the president.<\/p>\n

Kocab\u0131y\u0131k and the truck driver, identified by the initials M.A., were taken into custody on the orders of the Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor\u2019s Office. The Iranian national was transferred to the provincial migration authority.<\/p>\n

The trade ministry\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0customs officers had received intelligence that Kocab\u0131y\u0131k was hiding at truck stops in Edirne and apprehended him after conducting surveillance and inspections at the border crossing.<\/p>\n

Kocab\u0131y\u0131k and the driver were brought to an Edirne courthouse on Tuesday after processing by customs enforcement officers.<\/p>\n

Asked by reporters where he had intended to flee, Kocab\u0131y\u0131k replied, \u201cAnamur,\u201d naming a district in the southern province of Mersin, despite having been caught at the Bulgarian border. He and the driver were then taken to the prosecutor\u2019s office for questioning.<\/p>\n

The Antalya 35th Criminal Court of First Instance subsequently ordered Kocab\u0131y\u0131k\u2019s arrest on the grounds that he had violated the terms of his judicial supervision by attempting to leave the country.<\/p>\n

He was transported to the Edirne L-Type Prison after the necessary procedures were completed. No information was immediately available about the outcome of the proceedings against the driver.<\/p>\n

Kocab\u0131y\u0131k has faced repeated investigations and detentions over his street interviews. He was detained along with two other YouTube journalists in December 2021 and subsequently placed under house arrest and barred from leaving the country. He was detained and jailed again in May 2025 on accusations of insulting Erdo\u011fan.<\/p>\n

In a separate case, Kocab\u0131y\u0131k was arrested in December 2025 and released on February 9 after spending approximately 66 days behind bars. The court imposed judicial supervision measures, including the travel ban he was accused of violating at Kap\u0131kule.<\/p>\n

Article 299 carries a prison sentence of one to four years. The sentence may be increased by one-sixth if the alleged offense was committed publicly.<\/p>\n

Thousands of people in Turkey are investigated, prosecuted or convicted under the controversial law, which rights groups say is frequently used to silence criticism of Erdo\u011fan.<\/p>\n

Street interviews, which are widely distributed on YouTube and other social media platforms, have gained popularity in Turkey by giving members of the public an opportunity to speak candidly about economic hardship, government policies and political discontent.<\/p>\n

They have also faced increasing government scrutiny. Since September 2024, YouTube channels producing news programs or street interviews have been required to obtain a license from Turkey\u2019s broadcasting watchdog, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RT\u00dcK).<\/p>\n

RT\u00dcK has said the oversight is intended to prevent slander and misinformation, while critics view it as an attempt to tighten government control over independent media and public debate.<\/p>\n

This article is republished from\u00a0Turkish Minute<\/a>.<\/p>\n