A court in Turkey on Wednesday sentenced independent journalist Fatih Altayli to four years and two months in prison over comments he made about President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, state broadcaster TRT and an NGO representing the journalist reported.

Altayli's conviction comes amid a more general crackdown on opposition figures over the past year in Turkey, most notably including the jailing of arguably Erdogan's main political rival, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, in March. Imamoglu was sentenced on corruption charges he denies.

What comments from Altayli led to the prosecution? 

Altayli, who has more than 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube, in a country where the vast majority of media is considered sympathetic to the government, was commenting on a poll suggesting that around 70% of Turks opposed the idea of Erdogan being president for life. 

Erdogan has been president since 2014 and is in his third term, but he was prime minister for another 11 years prior to this, altering Turkey's constitution to place more power with the presidency prior to switching roles. 

In the clip, Altayli referenced Ottoman Empire history, noting how several sultans who were no longer wanted in power had been killed. 

"Look at the distant past: This is a nation that has strangled its sultans when it didn't like them or want them... There are many Ottoman sultans who were strangled, assassinated or allegedly committed suicide," the 63-year-old said.

Erdogan's aide Oktay Saral said at the time that the comments had "gone too far." 

Ruling 'could serve as tool' to muzzle dissent: defense lawyer

The Istanbul court said it was sentencing the journalist for "threatening the president" and that he would remain in jail. 

Altayli denied the charges in court, saying his statements of historical fact were not intended as a threat and demanding that he be acquitted.

His lawyer, Erinc Sagkan, the head of the Untion of Turkish Bar Associations, said Altayli would appeal an "unlawful" ruling that violated fundamental freedoms.

Sagkan told reporters outside the court that the verdict was "an intimidation against the entire press and could serve as a tool for oppressing all dissenting voices." 

Press freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the ruling. 

"The heavy sentence imposed on Altayli over statements taken out of context, as well as the decision to keep him in detention, sends an intimidating, antidemocratic and unacceptable message," RSF's Turkey representative Erol Onderoglu told the AFP news agency. 

Erdogan's legacy of prosecuting speech and dissent

Turkey, a wealthy NATO member, is ranked 159 out of 180 evaluated countries on RSF's 2024 Press Freedom Index, just behind Pakistan and ahead of Venezuela. The NGO says the country has arrested 20 journalists this year for carrying out their work, with three still in custody and another three under house arrest awaiting trial. 

"After the 2023 elections, violence and mass arrests became the most-used tactics to repress media professionals covering rallies and protests," RSF writes of Turkey in its report, bemoaning "almost systematic online censorship, arbitrary lawsuits against critical media outlets and the exploitation of the judicial system."

The litigious approach of Erdogan and his allies also made headlines in recent years for his enthusiastic prosecution of perceived violations of Article 299 of Turkey's constitution, which outlaws "insulting the president." He pursued all manner of people for perceived insults, inside and outside Turkey, even including German satirical comedian Jan Böhmermann. A Swedish journalist was handed an 11-month suspended sentence this year, but was allowed to leave the country soon after.

The European Court of Human Rights, to which EU-aspirant Turkey is a party, has repeatedly found that Article 299 cannot coexist with Turkey's constitutional guarantees of free expression and needs amendment.

Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez