Turkey’s Constitutional Court has ruled that a fine imposed on journalist and writer Hayko Bağdat over a critical social media post constitutes a violation of his right to freedom of expression.
The ruling comes in response to an individual application filed by the Legal Unit of the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), a civil society organization that defends press freedom and human rights in Turkey. Bağdat had been fined for a 2018 Twitter post criticizing a bank executive’s controversial statement about currency speculation, in which he wrote, “Sana ne be manyak” — loosely translated as “What’s it to you, you lunatic.”
MLSA Co-Director Veysel Ok welcomed the ruling, noting its significance for press freedom in Turkey. “The court’s recognition that words like ‘lunatic,’ while potentially disrespectful, do not constitute criminal insult, sets an important legal precedent,” Ok said. He added that the decision strengthens protections for harsh or uncomfortable criticism directed at public figures.
The case stemmed from a 2018 interview with a Turkish bank’s general manager, who said, “People with no income in dollars or euros shouldn’t be dealing with foreign currency. What business does Aunt Ayşe have with foreign currency?” Bağdat reacted by posting the now-contested tweet in August of that year. In 2020, he was charged with “public insult” and fined 1,740 Turkish liras by Istanbul’s 55th Criminal Court of First Instance.
Challenging the verdict, the MLSA filed a petition with the Constitutional Court, arguing that Bağdat’s rights to freedom of expression and press had been violated, and that the case should have ended in acquittal.
The Constitutional Court ruled on April 29, 2025, concluding that Bağdat’s comment constituted criticism, not insult, and had been made in response to a public statement during a period of intense debate over the soaring exchange rate in Turkey. The court emphasized that his remarks were a personal expression of opinion and did not amount to a criminal offense.
The court also ordered compensation for Bağdat for non-pecuniary damages and referred the case back to the lower court for retrial.
