Okan Bayülgen

At the 2016 Altın Kelebek ceremony, Bayülgen made sarcastic remarks following an incident that prevented the Diriliş: Ertuğrul team from delivering its speech. Erdoğan publicly criticised him. Media subsequently reported the cancellation of his programme; in 2022, Bayülgen claimed he had been reported to the President and subjected to an "embargo" lasting approximately two and a half years.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Political responsibility

In 2022, Bayülgen repeatedly criticised Generation Z and social media use, claiming in particular that young people talked about freedom while being ready to obey elsewhere, and that the digital environment had made people more superficial, more dependent and "more stupid".

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Personally implicated

Okan Bayülgen was tried following a complaint by YouTuber Muhammet Çumanoğlu, who accused him of calling him "geri zekalı" [idiot]. Prosecutors had sought a prison sentence, but the court ultimately acquitted Bayülgen.

Legal status — source text

Acquitted / conviction overturned

Attribution

Personally implicated

Course of the proceedings

1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

During a programme in 2019, Bayülgen called fathers who said they spent hours playing with their children "gerzek" [idiots], claiming that men were not made for this and likening their behaviour to imitating women. The remarks provoked a strong social media reaction and were described as sexist by several outlets.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Personally implicated