Furkan Karabay given jail term for “defamation;” police violence against journalists in public administrator protests; Timur Soykan’s reporting on “loan to the mafia” censored; Hamdiye Çiftçi Öksüz handed jail term for “membership in a terrorist organization”

Journalists obstructed by the police in public trustee protests

Journalists, who were covering the protests against the appointment of a public trustee to Hakkari Municipality on 3 June 2024, were subjected to police violence. 

Journalists were assaulted with shields and prevented from obtaining images. A woman journalist was pulled from her hair and subjected to violence. 

On 4 June 2024, journalist Newroz Seydioğlu fainted as a result of the police break up and was hospitalized. 

Governor Ali Işık was appointed as a trustee to replace Hakkâri Co-mayor Mehmet Sıddık Akış on 3 June 2024.

Timur Soykan’s reporting on “loan to the mafia” concerning Ayhan Bora Kaplan censored

A removal of content decision was issued on the day Timur Soykan’s news item titled “Halkbank’tan mafyaya 550 milyon TL kredi” (Halkbank extends TL 550 million in credit to the mafia) was published in the BirGün newspaper on 5 June 2024. 

The access block and removal of content application filed by Halkbank for the news item concerning Ayhan Bora Kaplan was admitted by the İstanbul Anadolu 9th Criminal Court of Peace. 

The court stated that “personality rights had been violated” in its decision to place the news item under an access block and removal of content order, but did not provide any details as to the violation in question.

Amendment to the regulation on press cards

The Regulation on Amendments to the Regulation on Press Cards was published in the Official Gazette, after being signed by President Tayyip Erdoğan. According to the amendments, at most 24 months of holding a free press card will be taken into account in calculating the 18 years duration required for obtaining a permanent press card. 

The amendment also makes stops the issuing of press cards to persons not working in reporting at the Anadolu Agency and Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT). 

According to the new regulation, officeholders at the Anadolu Agency who may be eligible for a press card are as follows: 

- President and members of the board of directors; 

- Director general, deputy director general and editor-in-chiefs 

- News directors working under the editor-in-chief or deputy director general; 

- Directors working under the deputy director general 

- Coordinators, news coordinators, consultants, broadcast consultants, news managers, news planning managers, managers, deputy news managers, deputy consultants and deputy managers; 

- Regional directors and regional news managers; 

- Chief reporters, chief photojournalists, chief camera operators, chief graphic artists, chief film editors and chief broadcasters; 

- Senior reporters, senior photojournalists, senior camera operators, senior graphic artists, senior film editors and senior broadcasters; 

- Reporters, photojournalists, camera operators, graphic artists, film editors and broadcasters; 

- Assistant reporters, assistant photojournalists, assistant camera operators, assistant graphic artists, assistant film editors and assistant broadcasters

Journalist Yasin İpek assaulted and punched in Van

Anadolu Web TV licensed publisher and chair of the Journalists, Writers and Intellectuals Union Platform Association (TÜGYAP) Yasin İpek was assaulted in Van in the evening of 2 June 2024 over his posts concerning VanSpor FC. 

İpek, who was assaulted in an empty street behind Elit World Hotel said, “I have filed a complaint against the perpetrator but that the incident took place after reporting on VanSpor supports the suspicion that someone from the club management directed or organized the incident.” 

Punched and threatened, İpek has filed an official complaint. 

Request for immediate acquittal of Saturday Mothers/People in the trial over their week 950 protest rejected

The third hearing in the trial of 20 relatives of disappeared persons, who were obstructed and detained at the week 950 protest of the Saturday Mothers/People on suspicion of “violating the Law no. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” was held at the İstanbul 39th Criminal Court of First Instance on 7 June 2024.

Defendants Besna Tosun, Sebla Arcan, Selvi Gülmez, İrfan Bilgin, Mikail Kırbayır, İkbal Eren and defendants’ lawyers were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored. 

The court ruled to have defendants who have not yet provided a defense statement be brought in at the next hearing and rejected requests for the extension of inquiry and immediate acquittal.

The trial was adjourned until 4 October 2024. 

Furkan Karabay ordered to pay damages

The second hearing in the action for non-pecuniary damages worth TL 50,000 filed by İstanbul Justice Commission President Bekir Altun against journalist Furkan Karabay was held at the Anadolu 27th Civil Court of First Instance on 7 June 2024.

The court ruled to partially accept the action for non-pecuniary damages worth TL 50,000 filed by Bekir Altun and ordered Furkan Karabay to pay damages worth TL 12,500. 

Sedef Kabaş’s trial for “insulting the president” adjourned until November

The fourth hearing in the trial of journalist Sedef Kabaş on the charge of “insulting the president” was held at the Anadolu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 6 June 2024. 

The trial was adjourned until 7 November 2024.

Özgür Gündem retrial adjourned

The eighth hearing in the retrial of Hüseyin Aykol, Eren Keskin, Reyhan Çapan and Ayşe Batumlu on charges of “terrorism propaganda” and “incitement to commit crime” was held at the İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court on 6 June 2024. The defendants’ retrial began after their sentencing for articles which appeared in the now-defunct Özgür Gündem newspaper was overturned by the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation. 

 

Lawyer Özcan Kılıç, representing all defendants, was present at the hearing, which P24 monitored. Hüseyin Aykol, Eren Keskin, Reyhan Çapan and Ayşe Batumlu did not attend the hearing.

 

Lawyer Özcan Kılıç stated that the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance had responded that his client’s case file was at the appeals stage and said, “The 17th Criminal Chamber of the İstanbul Regional Court of Justice has arrived at a verdict in this case, which has become final. We request the outcome of the case to be inquired with the court of appeals.”

 

The court stated that as per the decision to overturn by the Court of Cassation, all cases had been merged at the İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court and ruled to issue a writ to the 17th Criminal Chamber of the İstanbul Regional Court of Justice to inquire into the outcome of Ayşe Batumlu’s case with the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance and to request a copy of the verdict if it had become final. The trial was adjourned until 8 October 2024.

 

At the 28 March 2018 hearing in the case with the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, Batumlu was ordered to pay an administrative fine for the crime of “praising an offense or an offender” over an article which appeared in Özgür Gündem. Batumlu appealed the verdict.

 

Journalist Furkan Karabay sentenced to imprisonment for the crime of “defamation”

The third hearing in the trial of journalist Furkan Karabay on the charge of repeated and public “insult” and “defamation” over a complaint filed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s former lawyer Mustafa Doğan İnal, was held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 6 June 2024.

 

Karabay and lawyers for the parties were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.

 

The court sentenced Karabay to 1 year and 15 days of imprisonment for the crime of “defamation.” The court also ruled to issue no verdict for the charge of “insult” as a guilty verdict had been issued for the charge of “defamation,” which is a more severe offense.

 

Click here  to read a detailed report.

Journalist Rojda Oğuz’s trial for “spreading false information” adjourned

The third hearing in the trial of journalist Rojda Oğuz on the charge of “spreading false information” was held at the Bakırköy 19th Criminal Court of First Instance on 6 June 2024. 

No parties attended the hearing. 

The court ruled to issue a letter rogatory for Oğuz, who resides abroad, and adjourned the trial until 28 November 2024.

 

Pınar Gayıp’s trial adjourned until October

The 16th hearing in the trial of Etkin News Agency (ETHA) editor Pınar Gayıp on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the İstanbul 26th High Criminal Court on 6 June 2024.

 

Gayıp’s lawyer was present at the hearing, which P24 monitored. Gayıp did not attend the hearing.

 

A secret witness heard at the hearing said that Pınar Gayıp used to work at ETHA and that they did not know whether she carried out any work related to the MLKP.

 

The court ruled to keep in place the international travel ban on the defendants, and adjourned the trial until 8 October 2024.

 

The case against Gayıp on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” with the Eskişehir 2nd High Criminal Court was merged with the present case with the İstanbul 26th High Criminal Court as the charge was the same.

Journalist Hamdiye Çiftçi Öksüz sentenced to imprisonment for “membership in a terrorist organization”

The 61st and final hearing in 14 defendants, including the shut-down Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reporter Hamdiye Çiftçi Öksüz, who was being tried on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” was held at the Hakkâri 1st High Criminal Court on 5 June 2024. In addition to Çiftçi, Hakkâri Co-Mayor and member of the DEM Party Mehmet Sıddık Akış, who was detained and replaced by an appointed public administrator on 3 June was on trial on charges of “administrating a terrorist organization,” “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda.” 

Öksüz, who was free pending trial did not attend the hearing. Akış, who was in custody, was brought to the courthouse. P24 monitored the hearing. 

The court sentenced Öksüz to 6 years and 3 months of imprisonment for the crime of “membership in a terrorist organization” and banned her from travelling abroad. Akış was sentenced to 19 years and 6 months of imprisonment for the crime of “administrating a terrorist organization.” 

Click here for a detailed report. 

Singer Ferhat Tunç’s trial adjourned until October

The 18th hearing in trial of singer Ferhat Tunç for on the charge of “inciting the people to hatred and enmity” was held at the Büyükçekmece 4th Criminal Court of First Instance on 5 June 2024. 

No parties attended the hearing. 

The court ruled to await the execution of the order for Tunç’s detention and adjourned the trial until 23 October 2024.

Onur Öncü gives statement on court instructions in “insulting a person’s memory” case

Journalist Onur Öncü gave a statement upon instructions from the Küçükçekmece 19th Criminal Court of First Instance at the 5 June 2024 hearing in his trial at the Ankara 7th Criminal Court of First Instance on the charge of “insulting a person’s memory” over a social media post. 

In his statement about the social media posts that led to the case, Öncü said, “The information I shared about Taner Ay, with whom I lived in the same region in Germany, was consistent with reporting in the German and Turkish press. I shared these posts as part of journalistic activities and under the freedom of expression. I did not share them with the intention of insulting someone who had died.” 

The court ruled to convey the minutes of the statement obtained through instructions to the Ankara 7th Criminal Court of First Instance, the competent court in the case. 

Öncü is on trial over a social media post concerning the death of Taner Ay, who was named in the disclosures of criminal organization leader Sedat Peker.

Sinan Aygül acquitted of “insult”

The second hearing in the trial of Bitlis Journalists Association President Sinan Aygül on the charge of “insult” was held at the Tatvan 1st Criminal Court of First Instance on 5 June 2024. The case against Aygül was filed over allegations that he had insulted Yücel Baysalı, one of the two bodyguards of Tatvan Mayor Mehmet Emin Geylani, after they had assaulted him.

Aygül and his lawyer Diyar Orak were present at the hearing.

Delivering their final opinion on the case, the prosecutor requested sentencing for Aygül.

The court ruled that there were no grounds for sentencing and acquitted Aygül.

Trial of journalists Mustafa Büyüksipahi and Barış Pehlivan adjourned until July

The sixth hearing in the trial of former publication coordinator of the Cumhuriyet newspaper and 12punto editor-in-chief Mustafa Büyüksipahi and Cumhuriyet contributor Barış Pehlivan on the charge of “insulting a public official” over their reporting on Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) member Hamit Kocabey was held at the Ankara 19th Criminal Court of First Instance on 4 June 2024. 

While Pehlivan did not attend the hearing, his lawyer Onat Doğu Akoluk was present. 

The trial was adjourned until 3 July 2024 to obtain Pehlivan’s defense statement.

Barış Pehlivan and Ozan Alper Yurtoğlu’s trial adjourned until September

The seventh hearing in the trial of Cumhuriyet newspaper contributor Barış Pehlivan and managing editor Ozan Alper Yurtoğlu on charges of “insulting the president” and “insulting a public official” was held at the İstanbul 15th Criminal Court of First Instance on 4 June 2024.

 

Lawyers for the parties were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored. Barış Pehlivan and Ozan Alper Yurtoğlu did not attend the hearing.

 

The court accepted the request by Binali Yıldırım to join the case as co-plaintiff on grounds of the possibility that he may have suffered harm from the crime. 

The trial was adjourned until 26 September 2024 to complete the missing elements in the case file.

At least 29 journalists and media workers in prison

As of 7 June 2024, there are at least 29 journalists and media workers in prison in Turkey, either in pre-trial detention or serving a sentence.

The full list can be accessed here.