Local newspaper sparks outrage in Turkey after social media post claims Erdoğan is dead

Aydın Denge later clarified that the post referred to the death of a local citizen named Gülşen Erdoğan, not the Turkish President.

Following the publication, the Aydın prosecutor's office opened a case under Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code, which penalizes the “public dissemination of misleading information.”

As part of the proceedings, arrest warrants were issued for the newspaper's publisher, the editor-in-chief, and the reporter who wrote the article.

Previously, stand-up comedian Deniz Göktaş was placed under arrest by a court in Istanbul after he was held at the city's main airport over a performance that had attracted 9.4m views on YouTube. Göktaş was accused of “inciting hatred and hostility” in his stage routine, as well as insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Erdoğan sparked controversy in July 2024 when he slapped a boy who refused to kiss his hand during an official event in Rize. The incident occurred during an opening ceremony for housing and environmental protection projects in the province.

The president extended his hand to two young brothers on stage, but when one boy hesitated to kiss it, the president slapped him. The child then complied, and media reports noted that Erdoğan gave both boys pocket money.