Turkish lawyer Feyza Altun was arrested in Beykoz on Monday for allegedly inciting hatred and hostility. In recent days, she shared tweets critical of Islam, which were not appreciated by the Turkish authorities. She is now free but remains under judicial supervision. Dutch PVV leader Geert Wilders expressed his admiration for Altun, calling her a “hero.”

There has been significant media attention surrounding Feyza Altun (36), the Turkish lawyer, in recent days due to her messages on X (formerly Twitter). Altun is an outspoken opponent of Sharia law, the central pillar of Islam.

Altun does not view Sharia as merely a religious phenomenon but as a ‘political regime.’ She associates Sharia with ‘the spirit of the Taliban who stone women.’ On the other hand, she advocates for Turkey to embrace ‘civilization,’ as emphasized by a quote from Kemal Atatürk.

“Turkey is a secular country. There is no Sharia law in Turkey. Sharia does not govern Turkey, and it never will be governed by Sharia,” Altun recently stated.

Criminal investigation initiated

Her statements sparked strong reactions on social media. The hashtag “Feyza Altun tuk lansın,” or “F*** Feyza Altun,” started trending on X, prompting calls for her arrest. Beykoz’s chief prosecutor initiated a criminal investigation against her, alleging she was guilty of ‘hate speech’ through her tweets. Nonetheless, Altun stood behind her statements and denied inciting hatred.

“I don’t care about someone’s religious beliefs or how they practice them, regardless of the religion,” she responded via X. “Modern secular legal rules apply in this country. Demanding Sharia law is a threat to the constitutional order and a crime.”

Arrested and released

On Monday, Altun was arrested as part of the criminal investigation. She provided a statement with the assistance of two lawyers, including Oğuzhan Aslan. A day later, she was released under two conditions: she was not allowed to travel abroad and must visit the police station two days a week, remaining under judicial supervision. Beykoz’s chief prosecutor unsuccessfully objected to her release, according to NTV report.

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Altun receives support from the Netherlands, including from PVV leader Geert Wilders. “Feyza Altun is a hero!” he wrote in Turkish on his social media. Dutch journalist Ebru Umar, who was arrested in Turkey in 2016 for tweets deemed critical of the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, also expressed support: ‘Go, women. Go, rule of law. Down with Islamofascism. Down with Sharia!'”

Wilders is highly regarded among Turkish secularists for his critical stance on Islam. He frequently comments on events in Turkey, consistently taking a position critical of Islam, which often earns praise from Turkish secularists who have little interest in orthodox Islam.

Feyza Altun bir kahramandır! https://t.co/Ja9i6M28Tz

— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) February 19, 2024