Turkish court arrests adult content creator, cites ‘semi-naked’ photos on social media

An İstanbul court has ordered the arrest of an adult content creator using the nickname "Sarem Uysal" on social media on charges of "disseminating obscene content." Notably, the prosecution emphasized the woman's "semi-naked" photos on Instagram. 

The person identified with the initials Y.H. came under scrutiny by the İstanbul police following a tip-off, Cumhuriyet reported. 

Authorities stated that Y.H. solicited money from followers on social media by sharing her IBAN and thereby gained "unfair earnings," which, according to Turkish laws, could constitute the crime of "unauthorized fundraising" in certain situations. 

In her statement, Y.H. claimed ownership of the mentioned IBAN number but stated that fake accounts were opened on social media in her name. The woman, accused of having numerous "obscene" content on her phone, asserted, "The Telegram account is not mine. IBAN information is mine, but my content from OnlyFans has been shared on other social media without my consent." 

Y.H., a former nurse, revealed that she charged $200 for a video on OnlyFans and claimed to have a monthly income of around 100,000 lira (~3,300 US dollars). 

The prosecution alleged that Y.H. shared "semi-naked" photos on her social media accounts, and that content were accessible to children following her. Noting that children could freely access the social media platform, the prosecution requested her arrest on charges of "facilitating the publication of obscene content." The court complied with this request. 

Several adult content creators in Turkey have recently faced investigations on charges of "obscene content." However, Y.H. is the first to draw attention for the prosecutors' focus on "semi-naked" photos. 

Previously, OnlyFans content creator Gizem Bağdaçiçek was detained in December on charges of "obscenity." In November, Gül Hatun was arrested after a TikTok broadcast, but both were released without being remanded in custody.

Turkey implemented a ban on OnlyFans in June, citing "obscenity" as the reason. Most adult content sites are inaccessible in the country.

Article 226 of the Turkish Penal Code prohibits the distribution of "obscene" content through press and media. However, the law lacks a specific definition of obscenity, and there are no provisions addressing platforms like OnlyFans, which provide on-demand access to adult content. (VK)