Turkish police temporarily detain designer of viral stickers criticizing Erdoğan for inflation
Mahir Akkoyun, who designed stickers that read "Did this product seem expensive to you? Thanks to Erdoğan" was detained on charges of “insulting the president” on April 7. The stickers went viral on social media after users shared pictures of stickers that were put on market shelves. The designer was released after giving his testimony.
Duvar English
Mahir Akkoyun, who prepared stickers with the photos of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli to draw attention to the rising prices and inflation in the markets, was detained on April 7. The designer was released after giving his testimony.
The stickers that read "Did this product seem expensive to you? Thanks to Erdoğan" was put on supermarket shelves and went viral on social media on April 6.
The designer shared a tweet about his detention just before he was taken into custody.
Akkoyun's lawyer Berfin Kaya told ANKA news agency, "The reason for his detention is the designs he shared on Twitter, and he is currently under custody for insulting the president."
Representatives of civil society organizations gathered to support Akkoyun in front of the courthouse in the Aegean İzmir province where Akkoyun was brought to for his testimony.
They stated that his detention is an intimidation against the entire opposition, just days before the elections that will be held on May 14.
Increasing inflation and food prices are on the agenda in Turkey, especially since 2021. The economic problems are seen as one of the most important issues in the run-up to the elections.