His classmates from Galatasaray High School supported Fatih Altaylı: “If they ask, he is one of us”

Journalist Fatih Altaylı was arrested after being detained on the charge of “threatening the President” due to his speech on his YouTube channel. Altaylı’s classmates from Galatasaray High School reacted to the decision by making a statement.

Fatih Altaylı was detained on the grounds of “threatening the President” due to his speech on his YouTube channel. Altaylı, who stated that he personally knew President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during his police interrogation, claimed that there was no intent to threaten or insult. Altaylı was arrested in court after giving his statement to the prosecutor.

Altaylı’s classmates from Galatasaray High School published a message of support for the journalist. The article titled “If they ask, it’s one of us” reacted to the arrest warrant:

“We are deeply saddened by the experiences of our classmate from Galatasaray High School, the esteemed journalist and commentator Fatih Altaylı. However, our real concern is that in 2025, in the 21st century, in our beautiful homeland that should have liberal values, we feel that we are being dragged into a dark period with the detention of a journalist, his referral to the prosecutor's office and the court, and his arrest due to words that do not contain any threatening elements.”

The statement called for an end to Altaylı’s detention, saying, “We expect a fair and impartial trial process to be carried out without detention. When these conditions are met, it will be seen that there is no element of crime in Fatih Altaylı’s words and we have full faith that the case will end with an acquittal.”

According to İsmail Saymaz's report , Altaylı admitted during his police interrogation that the publications and sentences in question belonged to him, but stated that he did not intend to threaten or insult the president. Altaylı, who said that he broadcasts in light of historical information in his programs, made the following statements:

“In a survey conducted by a research company, citizens were asked whether they approved of President Erdoğan becoming president on a life-long basis, and 70 percent of citizens said they would approve of such a constitutional amendment.”

In his comments on this issue, Altaylı stated that the Turkish people have liked to be active in the state administration by voting since the Tanzimat period, and that he does not like to give permission in advance for anyone to hold a high-level position in the state without their own will and control.

Stating that the Turkish people have always been able to adopt a critical attitude towards those who govern them, Altaylı said that even during his reign, he criticized the sultans during Friday greetings. Altaylı also stated that he expressed these examples with his intellectual identity on television many times with scientists who are experts on our recent history.

“Frankly, it would never have crossed my mind that this historical information could create a perception of threat to the current president,” Altaylı said.

He stated that he was not responsible for the way the incident was portrayed and for his words, which were only intended to provide historical information, being deliberately distorted to make it seem as if he was threatening the president.

Altaylı, who said that he has written countless television programs and columns in the last 30 years of his 45-year career, emphasized that he has never threatened any citizen, let alone the president, in any of them.

Stating that no lawsuit was even filed against him with this accusation, Altaylı said , "I have no threatening intention here, and any threat or insult towards President Erdoğan, whom I know personally, would never even cross my mind."

He emphasized that he always used his right to criticize but never made threats.

Altaylı stated in the prosecutor's referral letter he saw regarding the accusation in question that there must be an actual insult in order for TCK 310/2 to be applied, and argued that even in this case, although there was no threat or insult intent, the prosecutor's request was unlawful and not in accordance with the law.

Recalling that the first sentence of his alleged criminal speech was “The Turkish people love the ballot box,” Altaylı stated that even this statement showed his belief in democracy and the intention of his speech.

Fatih Altaylı was taken into custody from his home and then taken to the Istanbul Police Department Security Branch Directorate. It was learned that Altaylı could be referred to the prosecutor's office today and, if there is a request for arrest, to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace on Duty.