Turkish pop star Hande Yener gave a statement to prosecutors on April 24, 2026, denying allegations that she insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a concert in Muğla on May 15, 2025.
The investigation began after a citizen filed a complaint with the Presidency Communication Center (CİMER), prompting the Muğla Chief Prosecutor’s Office to open a case. No detention was ordered, and Yener was questioned as a suspect in Istanbul, where she resides.
Yener told prosecutors that her on-stage jumping was a spontaneous reaction to the music and crowd energy, not a political act. She said the phrase “We will make this era beautiful” was taken from a motivational speech she gave at a different concert in Harbiye, referencing lyrics from her song “Bodrum,” and was falsely linked to the jumping incident through edited footage.
She emphasized that combining separate moments from different times and places into a single narrative was a deliberate manipulation. “The jump incident and the alleged statement ‘We will make this era’ are not connected,” she said, adding that presenting them together as a call to action was a calculated distortion.
Yener reiterated her long-standing stance as a unifying figure in Turkish society, citing her participation in democracy watches after the 2016 coup attempt, attendance at iftar events with the president, and her role among artists supporting Turkish forces during the 2018 Olive Branch operation in Afrin. “In all these processes, my stance has always been alongside my state and my nation,” she said.
She denied ever targeting anyone, stating she has never used divisive language, aimed at individuals, or provoked conflict. “My only goal on stage is to entertain people and grant them a temporary escape from life’s burdens,” she told prosecutors.
Her lawyer submitted full concert footage and recordings of her messages to youth as part of the defense case.
What did Hande Yener say about her actions during the concert?
She said her jumping was a spontaneous reaction to the music and crowd energy, not a political statement, and that the controversial phrase was taken from a different concert and falsely linked to the incident.
Why was the investigation initiated?
A citizen filed a complaint with the Presidency Communication Center (CİMER) after the concert, leading the Muğla Chief Prosecutor’s Office to open a case.
Did Hande Yener admit to insulting the president?
No, she denied the allegations, stating she never used divisive language, targeted anyone, or intended to provoke, and that her goal was solely to entertain.