Journalist Fatih Altaylı, who has been commenting on current affairs from Marmara (Silivri) Prison, announced that he is taking a break from his program on his YouTube channel, which has around 1.5 million subscribers.
Altaylı, who has been imprisoned since June 22 on charges of “attempted assassination and physical assault against the president,” cited health problems and fatigue affecting both himself and his team as reasons for his decision.
Since being imprisoned, Altaylı has continued his YouTube broadcasts in an unusual format. The videos feature articles he writes from prison, read aloud by a voiceover. On screen, the camera focuses on an empty chair, the same seat Altaylı used to sit in. Released under the title “Fatih Altaylı Can’t Comment: The Empty Chair,” a play on his former series “Fatih Altaylı Comments,” the videos have attracted hundreds of thousands of views.
He appeared before a judge for the first time on October 3, and the İstanbul 26th Heavy Penal Court ruled to extend his detention.
Court blocks access to detained journalist Fatih Altaylı's YouTube channel
In a statement titled “Give us a little break,” Altaylı said the following:
“My dear listeners,
You know what happened on Friday — the court decided to extend my detention. I was surprised. Given that, I’ve had to make some changes to my plans.
As I mentioned before, if I had been released on October 3, I was planning to take a short vacation. You and the team have also been working for two years without a break, and you were going to take this opportunity to rest.
On another note, I have stents that were placed in my heart seven years ago, and there’s an enlargement in my aortic artery. It needs to be monitored every six months through measurements. Under normal circumstances, I was supposed to have that checkup done in September, but I postponed it — I didn’t want to undergo the procedure with a doctor I don’t know or at a hospital I’m unfamiliar with, sent by the prison. I was hoping to do it once I was released.
Since that didn’t happen, I don’t want to delay it any longer. I’ll have to get these tests done here now. The lump I mentioned earlier in my shoulder also seems not to have fully healed — it’s affecting my arm so much that writing or taking notes has become quite painful. That too needs to be taken care of.
Don’t worry — my overall health is fine. But since I wasn’t released, I can’t keep putting these things off.
At the same time, I’m tired. Prison — living in a single room, a cell — might seem easy from the outside, but it wears you down physically and mentally. I want to rest a little, to avoid getting swallowed up by the constant rush of the news cycle.
And because it’s so hard to access information here, I fear I might start repeating myself. So, as you understand, I’m asking for a bit of a break.
When I saw you on Friday — exhausted and worn out — I realized I’d been unfair to you and the team, too.
So let’s all take a little time off.
Sending lots of love and greetings to everyone…”
(HA/MH/VK)
