Turkey formally arrests producer of Erdogan film

A Turkish court ordered the formal arrest of a film producer after he made a controversial movie showing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held at gunpoint in a bloody coup d'etat, reports said Wednesday.

Ali Avci was detained by police last week on suspicion of links to the group blamed by Ankara for the -- real life -- failed coup in July 2016 that tried to overthrow Erdogan.

Avci was subsequently formally arrested over "managing an armed terror organisation" by an Istanbul court, Hurriyet daily reported.

The trailer for Avci's new film "Uyanis" (Awakening) caused controversy even before it hit theatres, just days before the first anniversary of the coup attempt.

Turkey says US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen ordered the attempted putsch, charges which he strongly denies.

Uyanis's trailer features the killing of Erdogan's family -- including his wife Emine and his son Bilal -- in their house in the Kisikli district of Istanbul while Erdogan is shown being held at gunpoint.

Avci was also a producer of the film "Reis" (the Chief), a biopic about Erdogan's early political life, which hit screens ahead of a key April referendum that boosted Erdogan's powers.

The first-ever feature film about Erdogan garnered much media attention at home and abroad but made little in box office takings.

Source: AFP