Can Yaman Blasts Turkish Press on Social Media: My Drug Test Is Negative—Why Won't You Report That?

We have often discussed how deeply Can Yaman is reviled by the Turkish press and how the latter persists in fabricating fake news to discredit him. This campaign of vitriol came to a head in early January when—despite witnesses confirming that the Turkish actor was not found in possession of drugs after a police check—local newspapers reported and disseminated the story that Yaman had actually been arrested.

It is true, as the proverb goes, that "no one is a prophet in their own land," but to belittle and invent falsehoods about an international star who is bringing such prestige to Turkey seems excessive. Perhaps the Turkish establishment resents the divo for relocating to Italy and rarely returning to his home country; however, if this is the negative treatment he can expect from local media, we deem the actor's choice to keep his distance entirely justified.

It is within this context that Can Yaman’s latest social media statement against the Turkish press must be viewed. In a lengthy post written in his native tongue, he called upon his fellow journalists to exercise greater intellectual honesty—particularly in issuing corrections when their errors come to light. Above all, the actor emphasized, he cannot comprehend why they are always poised to broadcast false news, yet never spread the truth—even when it is undeniably proven.

Can Yaman’s Message

"I want to personally announce to you that the result of my drug test is NEGATIVE," the actor began in his post. "Obviously, I already knew the result when I provided the DNA samples, but I chose to wait for the test results before releasing statements because it would be disrespectful to my fans to expect them to trust hearsay or rumors without proof. I, as an actor, managed to think of this; yet those whose main profession is journalism—and who should publish only verified and factual news—apparently have no respect for their audience and feel no discomfort in publishing fake news."

The actor then highlighted how stories are disseminated without tracing sources to verify reality, and how apologies are conspicuously absent when mistakes are exposed:

"They don’t even feel the need to correct the false news they publish. Furthermore, they do not conduct personal research when they write; they simply copy a story from someone else, adding new lies, and the story takes a completely different direction. They do not even consider the reputation, feelings, or international commercial contracts of the person being discussed—that is, me."

Yaman then went into specifics, recounting the reality of the night he was searched versus the fiction printed in the papers:

"For example, when I was searched twice that night, no drugs were found on me. However, these people shared strange photos of drugs, claiming I had them on my person, and others copied their lies as news. For example, my test came back NEGATIVE, but these people wrote 'positive' in the background when they reported the story. For example, these people wrote that I was detained in places I have never been, with people I do not know."

The Turkish star then urged his country’s journalists to rejoice in the successes of their artists rather than diminishing them or spreading libel:

"These people wrote these things without any shame, and then, when it turned out they were false, they shamelessly did not correct their fake news. Now I ask you: why are you so malicious as to interpret even my post where I wrote 'How happy I am to be a Turk' negatively? Why, instead of seeing my successes and being proud of our country, do you create a negative perception in society with fake news and attack people's reputations? Give up all this, concentrate on supporting each other and the development of our country. Be proud of the successes of Turkish citizens, speak of people's achievements instead of minimizing their errors, because this is what our culture requires."

The actor concluded by declaring once again that he does not use drugs and focuses solely on succeeding in his craft:

"In short, I am an international actor who has nothing to do with forbidden substances and has made a healthy life and sport a lifestyle. I am proud of myself and my country. My only goal is to achieve more success every year than the previous year, because why shouldn't a Turkish actor be able to do that? With love, Can Yaman."

Will the Turkish journalists understand? Only time will tell.