Turkish authorities have detained more than 160 people on charges ranging from spreading misleading information to praising two deadly school shootings this week online, the justice minister said on April 16.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said 95 people had been taken into custody and 35 more suspects were being sought. Access to 1,104 social media accounts had been blocked, he added in a post on X.
Gürlek said investigators had identified accounts that targeted schools and suggested potential attacks. Sixty-seven users linked to such posts directed at 54 schools have been detained, he said.
Earlier, officials identified 591 accounts that produced deliberate disinformation, while 66 Telegram URLs were flagged for content removal and access restrictions, local media reported on April 16.
They also shut down 93 Telegram groups linked to provocative and harmful posts.
Interior Ministry officials said efforts to combat online provocation and disinformation are continuing “with determination,” stressing that those who glorify violence or exploit the incidents will face legal consequences.
The Justice Ministry also confirmed that digital activities related to the attacks are being closely monitored, with coordination established among 171 chief public prosecutor’s offices across all 81 provinces.
Istanbul school targeted in online threats
In Istanbul, prosecutors launched a separate investigation after messages circulated on Telegram naming a school in the Üsküdar district as a potential target.
Authorities detained six minors suspected of making threats “with the intent of creating fear and panic among the public.”
Istanbul Governor Davut Gül said officials are taking action against posts that name specific schools and aim to create fear and panic. “Such a tragedy cannot be exploited,” he said, adding that those responsible would be identified and prosecuted.
The investigation also uncovered activity within a large Telegram group known as “C31K,” which had around 100,000 members before being shut down.
The group allegedly shared footage of the attacks, praised perpetrators and even discussed potential future assaults, including time and location details.
