“Ankara Bird” Twitter personality, citizen journalist detained by police
A Twitter user and citizen journalist dubbed “Ankara Bird” was detained on April 2 on charges related to the US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, Ankara’s main suspect for the 2016 coup attempt. Friends of the user, identified only as O.Y., seem to think his detention was prompted by critical Tweets he had written about branches of government.
Duvar English
A Twitter user identified as O.Y. who operates the account “Ankara Bird” was detained by Ankara Supreme Court’s Terrorism Crimes Branch.
A local citizen journalist, O.Y., also known as “Ankara Bird” was later transferred to Ankara’s Police Headquarters.
"A person doing his own thing. Retired thought worker. Doesn't know about politics. From the media. Doesn't rebel, finds solutions," Ankara Bird's Twitter bio reads.
While the Twitter account for “Ankara Bird” was restricted after its owner was detained, O.Y. is being held by the police as part of a lawsuit against the organisation of the U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, dubbed ‘FETÖ’ by Ankara and held responsible for the botched coup of 2016.
Though Ankara has detained thousands over these charges since 2016, O.Y.’s friends seem to think that his detention is due to Tweets he had written about the Turkish Red Crescent and Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet).