Sagiv Jehezkel, who plays for Turkish club Antalyaspor, was detained for “instigating the public to hatred and hostility”, TRT Haber reported. He is being held by police in Antalya.
He was suspended by Antalyaspor after showing his bandaged wrist that had a message supporting Israeli hostages, the Turkish football club announced on Sunday.
Jehezel’s bandaged wrist read “100 days, 7/10″, referring to the time since Hamas took more than 200 Israelis hostages.
A hostage release deal agreed between Israel and Hamas in late November ended after six days, with more than 100 freed.
The Turkish justice minister announced on X that the Antalya chief prosecutor’s office launched an investigation against the 28-year-old player. The prosecutor’s office will ultimately decide if he is formally arrested, or if he will be released.
According to CNN Turk, Jehezel stated, “I did not act to provoke anybody. I want the war to end. This is why I showed that sign”, according to a leaked Turkish police report widely reported across Turkish media.
Hours later, Turkish state media agency Anadolu reported that the Israeli player has been released from police detention after being questioned by the local prosecutor’s office.
The prosecutor’s office said its procedures have been completed, but there’s no indication that the investigation into the player has been dropped.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated the player’s release came after Israeli political and consular activity with Turkish officials.
“Turkey has become a dark dictatorship, working against humane values and sports values. Whoever arrests a football player for an act of identification with 136 abductees who have been in the hands of terrorists of a murderous terrorist organization for over 100 days, represents a culture of murder and hatred,” Katz said in a statement, calling on international sports bodies to “act against” Turkey.
“Today it’s Sagiv Jehezkel, tomorrow it’s another athlete,” Katz added.
