I believe the reasons for Mr. Altaylı’s detainment or arrest are not justified. He should be free, and I think he will be free soon. However, what I will list here is his long-term career of abusing the rights of many sectors of society. Anti-government circles are quick to heroize him, and some Western circles will frame it as a matter of freedom of speech, but upon examining his long career, I would not support him much. I always wondered why he was not detained before, like many other journalists, but I will keep some of the allegations to myself. Here is a curation for you:
Violations Against Women’s Rights
Sexual Harassment Threats and Gender-Based Violence
One of the most serious allegations against Altaylı dates back to 2002, when he made explicit threats of sexual violence against human rights lawyer Eren Keskin during his radio program “Bab-ı Ali Yokuşu” on Radio D 1. On March 18, 2002, Altaylı stated: “I will sexually harass Eren Keskin the first time I see her, or I am not a man” 1. These comments were made in response to Keskin’s human rights advocacy work regarding military conduct in Turkey 1.
The statement was widely condemned by women’s rights organizations and female journalists, who described it as “terrorizing” and “disgusting” 2. The Human Rights Association (İHD) and women’s rights advocates filed formal complaints against Altaylı for these threats 1. Female journalists across Turkey condemned the remarks as representing “male-dominant mentality” and “militarist system” rhetoric 1.
Exploitation of Women Victims in Media Coverage
In October 2011, Altaylı drew severe criticism for publishing a graphic photograph of a murdered woman on the front page of Habertürk newspaper 34. The image showed Şefika Etik, a domestic violence victim who had been stabbed to death by her husband, lying naked with a knife in her back 34. The photograph was published under the headline “The Last Point in Violence Against Women” 34.
This decision violated multiple journalism ethics codes and women’s rights principles 3. The Turkish Journalists Association’s ethics code explicitly states that journalists should avoid publishing content that “justifies, encourages, or incites all kinds of violence” 3. The publication was condemned for re-victimizing the deceased woman and violating her dignity 34.
Women’s rights organizations protested outside the Habertürk building, carrying banners reading “Media exploits, don’t be complicit in femicides” and “We don’t want sexist media” 5. Critics argued that the publication exploited women’s suffering for commercial gain rather than raising awareness about domestic violence 4.
Hate Speech and Discriminatory Rhetoric
Anti-Refugee and Xenophobic Statements
Altaylı has been accused of promoting hate speech against Syrian refugees in Turkey. During a December 2020 broadcast on Habertürk TV’s “Teke Tek” program, he made inflammatory statements about Syrian refugees 678. He claimed: “Turkey lost to Syria without war. They came with 4 million soldiers and seem to have taken Turkey captive” 67.
His remarks included discriminatory assertions such as: “They are the owners of Turkey, we are like guests. They will soon throw us out of here” and “They are completely free, they have no obligations, no accountability” 678. These statements were characterized as promoting “hatred and hostility” toward refugees and “openly targeting” the refugee population 68.
The International Refugee Rights Association filed a criminal complaint against Altaylı, stating that his comments constituted “incitement to hatred and hostility” and “clearly targeted refugees” 68. The organization described his language as “atrocious” and designed to fuel anti-refugee sentiment 8.
Derogatory Language and Hate Speech
Altaylı has faced multiple legal actions for hate speech. In 2024, he was sentenced to seven months in prison for “serial public insult” against Galatasaray fan group leader Muzaffer Şirin 910. The court found that he had used terms like “Nazi remnant mentality,” “ignorant,” and “sect remnant” in his publications and broadcasts 910.
He has also been investigated for “inciting hatred and hostility against a section of the public” for his comments about participants in pro-Palestinian demonstrations 11. Additionally, he faced charges for “praising crime and criminals” related to social media posts 11.
Media Ethics Violations
Pressure on Editorial Independence
During the 2013 corruption scandal in Turkey, Altaylı was accused of manipulating election polls and publishing articles at the request of political authorities 12. Audio recordings allegedly revealed him shifting votes from opposition parties to favor the ruling party in poll results 12. He was also accused of firing journalists and editors from Habertürk at political behest 12.
Altaylı defended himself by claiming that “the entire Turkish media was under pressure” and that “everyone was scared” 12. He stated that “instructions were coming from somewhere every day” but denied manipulating polls 12.
Violations of Broadcasting Standards
The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) has imposed fines on Altaylı for violating broadcasting ethics 13. He was penalized for using inappropriate language and vulgar expressions during television programs 13. The regulatory body found that his use of crude language violated standards for public broadcasting 13.
Fatih Altaylı’s Controversial Statements Against Headscarved Protesters
Yes, Fatih Altaylı has made numerous highly controversial and offensive statements specifically targeting headscarved protesters throughout his journalism career, particularly during the 28 February (28 Şubat) period in Turkey. These statements represent some of the most severe examples of hate speech and discriminatory rhetoric against women wearing headscarves.
The 1999 Radyo D Incident: Most Notorious Anti-Headscarf Statements
The Gölcük Earthquake Context
The most infamous incident occurred in 1999 during Altaylı’s radio program “Bab-ı Ali Yokuşu” (Sublime Porte Hill) on Radyo D 123. Following the devastating Gölcük earthquake that killed thousands, some headscarved protesters reportedly displayed a banner reading “7.4 wasn’t enough?” – referring to the earthquake’s magnitude 243. This provoked Altaylı’s most extreme outburst of hate speech against headscarved women.
Explicit Hate Speech and Dehumanizing Language
On his radio program, Altaylı made the following statements about headscarved protesters at Marmara University 123:
“There’s a woman there (referring to the headscarved student in Hürriyet newspaper’s headline) – I don’t think she’s a woman at all. This is most likely a prostitute… She’s opened a banner, she’s not a student, she’s a prostitute brought there… Among those protesting in front of the university, I don’t see any students. Maybe one or two. These are prostitutes, prostitutes. They’ve gathered there with their ‘7.4 wasn’t enough?’ banner. These are devil worshippers. They are Satanists who have gathered there in cooperation with Satan. You need to beat them with sticks.” 123
Calls for Violence and Military Action
Altaylı’s rhetoric escalated to explicit calls for violence against headscarved protesters 235:
“Sometimes I thought some soldiers made unnecessary outbursts, but these weren’t unnecessary at all. They did too little to this herd. More organized attacks need to be made against them. They need balance adjustment; balance adjustment. You will put them on a wheel balancing machine and spin them around to balance them; prostitutes, dishonorables, Satanists.” 235
Advocating for Police Harassment
In a 1997 column titled “My New Citizenship Duty,” Altaylı wrote about his intention to personally target headscarved individuals 67:
“From now on, I will take those who walk around contrary to the dress code by the arm and take them to the police station. I will show their homes to the police. If I see them in a car, I will take their license plates and report them. I will follow the procedure to the prosecutor’s office.” 67
Recent Incidents: Continued Pattern of Harassment
2021 “Yaratık” (Creature) Incident
In June 2021, Altaylı continued his pattern of attacking headscarved women when he targeted journalist Cemile Taşdemir on social media 896. When Taşdemir criticized his silence on certain issues, Altaylı responded with 9610:
“Creature, what do I have to do with this disgrace? Don’t be dishonorable. Don’t be shameless. I am not one of the lowly thieves gathered around you. Don’t take my name in your dirty mouth.” 9610
This incident followed the same pattern as his earlier attacks, specifically targeting a headscarved woman with dehumanizing language 8611.
Defense and Lack of Remorse
2012 Parliamentary Commission Testimony
When questioned by the Turkish Parliament’s Coups Investigation Commission in 2012 about his 1999 statements, Altaylı not only refused to apologize but doubled down on his position 1212:
“If they had been next to me, I would have beaten them.” 1212
He justified his hate speech by claiming he was angry about the earthquake banner, stating he had lost many acquaintances in the disaster 2125. However, this explanation does not justify the systematic dehumanization and calls for violence against headscarved women.
Pattern of Targeting Headscarf-Wearing Women
Systematic Discrimination
Altaylı’s statements reveal a consistent pattern of specifically targeting women wearing headscarves with 13114:
Sexual slurs and prostitution accusations
Religious defamation (calling them “Satanists” and “devil worshippers”)
Dehumanizing language (“creatures,” “herd”)
Explicit calls for physical violence
Advocacy for state harassment and persecution
Impact on Women’s Rights
These statements represent severe violations of women’s rights and religious freedom 1146. Women’s rights organizations condemned Altaylı’s rhetoric as “terrorizing” and representing “male-dominant mentality” 13. The targeting of headscarved women specifically constitutes both gender-based discrimination and religious persecution.
A short biography
Fatih Altaylı is a prominent Turkish journalist, columnist, television presenter, and media executive born on September 20, 1962, in Van, Turkey12. He is recognized as one of the most famous and influential figures in Turkish journalism1.
Altaylı attended Çavuşoğlu College for primary and secondary education, then continued at Galatasaray High School, from which he graduated34. He briefly studied at Boğaziçi University’s Faculty of Administrative Sciences before transferring to the School of Press and Broadcasting, though he left without completing his diploma34.
Altaylı began his journalism career in 1982 as a sports reporter at Cumhuriyet newspaper14. After four years, he moved to Güneş newspaper and later worked at Gelişim Publications as editorial director34. When Güneş closed in 1992, he became unemployed but quickly rebounded by co-founding Best FM, one of the early private radio stations in Turkey, in 199334.
His television career took off in 1995 when he joined Kanal D and launched the Teke Tek program, which became a cult show that continued across various channels throughout his career4. He also became a columnist for Hürriyet newspaper the same year3. His career included stints at Show TV (1996), back to Kanal D with Doğan Media Group, then ATV, and finally Habertürk from 200924.
Altaylı’s relationship with Habertürk ended in May 2023 when the management terminated his broadcasts, including the Teke Tek program1. He announced his departure, stating he didn’t want his freedom to be a burden to his friend Turgay Ciner1. Since then, he has been writing on his own website and producing content on his YouTube channel1.
Beyond journalism, Altaylı served as vice president of Galatasaray Sports Club between 2001-200212. He has been instrumental in founding several social campaigns, including “Haydi Kızlar Okula” (supporting girls’ school enrollment with UNICEF), “Sürekli Aydınlık İçin Bir Dakika Karanlık” (a civil disobedience act), and “Temiz İnternet” (raising awareness against online violence and child pornography)12. He received the “Honor Award for Contribution to Education” from TİKA and the European Federation of Journalists1.
Most recently, Altaylı was detained in Istanbul on June 21, 2025, on charges of “threatening the president” for statements allegedly targeting Erdoğan in a YouTube video14.
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