Actor Ercan Ozcelik, known for his role as the police captain in the German TV show Tatort (“Crime Scene”), is being targeted by the Erdogan regime. Ozcelik is accused of making “terrorist propaganda” for messages he sent to a group of actors as he was moderating a workshop for actors in Istanbul in 2016.

“I COULD BE ARRESTED IF I GO TO TURKEY”

The only accusation Ozcelik is facing is criticizing one of the actors who supported the AKP when he posted a live video of the lynching of soldiers who participated in the coup attempt. Ozcelik had no further information on what happened. He issued a statement and said he learned of the lawsuit against him and the outstanding arrest warrant by coincidence when he went to the Turkish consulate in Berlin to ask why his Blue Card, the card issued to former Turkish citizens so they keep some of their citizenship rights, was cancelled.

OUTSTANDING DISINTEREST FROM GERMAN PRESS

The first hearing in the case against Ozcelik will be held in Istanbul by mid July. Ozcelik, who risks arrest upon entering Turkey, is expected not to attend the hearing. Ozcelik spoke to the German service of RT and said he expects more support from German politicians and media.

The arrest warrant against Ozcelik has been known for a while, but the issue was reported on only by the left-leaning Junge Welt newspaper, and mainstream German media is completely ignoring the matter. The TV show Tatort, where Ozcelik has been playing police captain Bulent Isi for a long time, is one of the biggest hits of the state television ARD.

Ozcelik was born in Ordu, Turkey and is of the Alevi faith. He starred in the film, The Disappearance, in 2016 as well as several TV show projects in ARD and RTL.