Incident
Turkiye: journalist Sedef Kabas is arrested for a proverb about President Erdogan
Turkish journalist Sedef Kabas was arrested and later convicted under Article 299 of the penal code, which criminalizes insulting the president, after quoting a proverb about a palace becoming a stable during a televised discussion of Erdogan.1234
What happened
On January 22, 2022, Turkish police arrested journalist Sedef Kabas from her home after midnight, following comments she made during a televised political talk show in which she said, discussing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, "When cattle enters a palace, it does not become king but the palace becomes a stable." She was jailed as a flight risk despite her lawyers' objections to the arrest order. Kabas was prosecuted under Article 299 of Turkiye's penal code, which criminalizes insulting the president and carries a sentence of up to four years in prison, with enhanced penalties where the insult is made publicly. She was found guilty and sentenced to two years and four months in prison, and was released pending appeal on March 11, 2022, after 49 days in detention. In June 2023, she faced a further trial on the same Article 299 charge over the same set of remarks, which had also included social media posts questioning Erdogan's university diploma and alleging corruption.1234
Kabas was released pending appeal in March 2022 and faced a new trial on the same charge in June 2023.4
What reason was given
Stated justificationTurkish prosecutors pursued the case under Article 299 of the penal code, which makes "insulting Turkey's president" a criminal offense.1
What changed for reporting
A journalist was jailed and later convicted over a single televised remark about the president, with a further prosecution on the same charge continuing more than a year later.1234
Timeline
2022
Who acted
| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
|---|---|---|
| Recep Tayyip Erdoğan | other | President of Türkiye |
Outlets and journalists
| Name | Kind | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| Sedef Kabas | journalist | affected |
Sources
- Turkish journalist Sedef Kabas arrested for 'insulting' President Erdogan
- Turkish journalist Sedef Kabas facing new trial for 'insulting' President Erdogan
- Turkish journalist arrested on charge of insulting Erdogan -CNN Turk
Claims and evidence
Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.
- Article 299 makes insulting Turkey's president a criminal offense punishable by up to four years in prison.
Article 299 of the Turkish penal code makes "insulting Turkey's president" punishable by up to four years imprisonment, with enhanced penalties if the insult occurs publicly.
Turkish journalist Sedef Kabas facing new trial for 'insulting' President Erdogan, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2023-06-22.Claim 524, checked 2026-09-22. - Kabas was arrested from her home after midnight following her televised remark about Erdogan.
jailed as a 'flight risk'
Turkish journalist Sedef Kabas arrested for 'insulting' President Erdogan, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-01-25.Claim 602, checked 2026-09-22. - Kabas made the comment about a palace and cattle during a televised political talk show discussion of Erdogan.
When cattle enters a palace, it does not become king but the palace becomes a stable
Turkish journalist Sedef Kabas arrested for 'insulting' President Erdogan, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2022-01-25.Claim 603, checked 2026-09-22. - Kabas was found guilty, sentenced to two years and four months, and released pending appeal after 49 days in detention.
released pending appeal on March 11, 2022, after 49 days in detention
Turkish journalist Sedef Kabas facing new trial for 'insulting' President Erdogan, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2023-06-22.Claim 604, checked 2026-09-22.