Turkey Arrests Journalist Who Belittled Erdogan Virus Campaign

(Bloomberg) -- A veteran Turkish journalist has been arrested for inciting hatred with a social media post that belittled President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s campaign to raise funds for victims of the coronavirus outbreak.

Hakan Aygun, who used to lead the staunchly anti-Erdogan television channel Halk TV, was detained by police in the southwestern province of Mugla, local media reported on Friday.

Aygun was one of thousands of Turks who assailed Erdogan after the Turkish leader provided an IBAN -- or International Bank Account Number -- for donations to a virus fund during a televised speech, when many were expecting direct government aid.

The journalist retweeted a post that invokes a Koranic saying but replaces the Turkish word for believers with the similar sounding IBAN acronym. Aygun now has a YouTube channel with 2,200 followers, where he opines on social and political issues.

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