Actor Barış Atay has been detained in his apartment this morning upon columnist Ahmet Hakan's piece calling on authorities to "put him in his place" following Atay's tweet calling for justice for the miners. Atay was officially accused of "inciting people to hatred & violence".
[mks_dropcap style="letter" size="52" bg_color="#ffffff" txt_color="#000000"]B[/mks_dropcap]arış Atay had tweeted saying "you will all apologize in tears. When the day comes we will not forget those that did not put them on trial, that pardoned them and those who have pity on them. This is yet the beginning, you will answer to justice."
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Lawyer Efkan Bolaç said the accusations against actor Barış Atay are not yet clear by midday as to why actor Atay has been detained yet, asking "since when is it a crime to say 'I do not forgive' or call for justice?" Atay is currently at the police headquarters in Istanbul's Fatih at Vatan Avenue. Thousands of journalists, writers, intellectuals, politicians, actors & actresses, activists and citizens have reacted against Barış Atay's detention with the hashtag #BarışAtayYalnızDeğildir [Barış Atay is not alone].
Later it was announced that Atay was accused of "inciting people to violence & hatred". Atay's mobile phone was confiscated by police for investigation. He was announced to spend the night in police custody, yet close to midnight his lawyer Efkan Bolaç tweeted that he was on his was to pick up Atay from Istanbul Police Headquarters, also adding "Solidarity is everything, let it not be forgotten".
Presidential candidate Muharrem İnce also criticized actor Barış Atay's detention with a house raid, saying "everyone should be able to declare their opinion freely. It does not suit a country that has democratic claims to detain people forcefully for tweeting."
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Atay had previously also been pressured due to his one-man show "Just a Dictator" in January 2018.