YouTuber Arif Kocabıyık, who was subject to a travel ban, was caught at the Kapıkule Border Gate while hiding underneath a truck trailer in an attempt to cross into Bulgaria. Kocabıyık and the truck driver, Muhterem Altıntaş, were detained.
During checks conducted as part of an investigation led by the Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Kocabıyık and Iranian citizen Shayan Peiman Samadi were found underneath the trailer. It was determined that Kocabıyık was subject to a travel ban over the offense of “insulting the President.” The investigation into the incident is reportedly ongoing.
Why it matters
This development shows the practical consequences at border controls of a travel ban imposed over an accusation of insulting the President. The manner in which Kocabıyık was caught raises the question of how the attempt to cross the border while in hiding will be assessed legally, in addition to the existing case. The detention of the truck driver also reveals that the investigation covers other people who played a role in the attempted crossing. However, Samadi’s connection to the incident and whether any action was taken against the Iranian citizen found underneath the trailer have not been disclosed. While the information, which is based on a briefing by the Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, provides the official framework of the incident, the outcome of the detentions and the legal steps to be taken as part of the investigation remain unclear.