A.K., a 16-year-old living in Izmir, was detained by police on the grounds of a hair braiding video he shared on his social media account. The prosecutor’s office referred the child to court with a request for arrest on charges of “organization propaganda.” The court ruled to arrest A.K. and ordered him to be sent to the Şakran Closed Children’s Prison. Lawyer Edhem Kuruş stated that the arrest decision was disproportionate, saying that depriving a student of their freedom because of a social media post was incompatible with the principles of the best interests of the child and freedom of expression. DEM Party Deputy Group Chair Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit also reacted to the decision, stating that this practice against children was intended to intimidate them.
February 6, 2026
Numedya24