Social media personality Fatma Soydaş detained for 'insulting religion'
Social media personality Fatma Soydaş was detained today on suspicion of "insulting religious values embraced by a segment of the public," according to a statement from the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
The statement cited Soydaş’s social media activity as the reason for the detention but did not specify which posts prompted the investigation.
Separately, a court ordered a ban on Soydaş's accounts on TikTok and Instagram, the office said. The pro-government Yeni Şafak newspaper said the blocking order was issued in response to a request from the Family and Social Services Ministry.
Presidential aide supports detention
Prior to her detention, Soydaş faced widespread online shaming targeting her conduct and personal life, with some videos purportedly showing her circulating online.
Pro-government media outlets also described her as someone “known for making inappropriate posts on social media” in their coverage of the detention.
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A chief advisor to the president, Oktay Saral, also backed Soydaş's detention without naming her, describing the decision as appropriate.
"Those with deviant mindsets who seek to peddle insults against our faith through cheap and repulsive content must know that Turkey is not a country where enemies of religion can run rampant," Saral wrote on social media.
Several content creators faced similar targeted campaigns and subsequent legal action in recent years, typically on obscenity charges. The campaign against Soydaş followed the same moralistic pattern, but she faced a different accusation.
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Statement from lawyers
Soydaş’s lawyers released a written statement in response to her detention, claiming that Soydaş she had been subjected to a coordinated campaign involving images and videos altered with artificial intelligence.
Lawyer Tansel Koç said manipulated and sexually explicit content had been circulated alongside false claims that she had exploited religious values.
“The images have no connection to our client’s real life or the values she upholds,” said Koç.
The statement said the accounts that created, shared, commented on or supported the fake content had been identified and documented and legal action have been initiated against them.
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“We ask Fatma Soydaş’s supporters, followers and the public not to give credence to these baseless, AI-generated materials,” the statement said.
Soydaş has more than 280,000 followers on Instagram. Similar allegations circulated about her in recent months, which she denied. (VK)
