An investigation has been launched against journalist Evren Demirdaş on suspicion of “spreading false information” and “fabricating a crime” over his reporting on pro-AKP businessperson Veysel Demirci winning a TL 642 million TOKİ tender

ARDIL BATMAZ, ELAZIĞ

Sözcü newspaper reporter Evren Demirdaş has reported on the Ziver Petrol İnşaat company, which is owned by pro-AKP businessperson Veysel Demirci, winning the Housing Development Administration (TOKİ) tender for the construction of 283 residential units and a commercial center with two retail units in the Karşıyaka neighborhood of central Elazığ. In his reporting, Demirdaş pointed out that the tender had been awarded after negotiated tendering, mentioned the nine other public tenders the same businessperson had won and stated that Demirci had been awarded TL 642 million worth of TOKİ tenders.

Demirci filed a criminal complaint on charges of “spreading false information” and “fabricating a crime” with the Elazığ Chief Prosecutor’s Office concerning this news item.

Demirci shared a photograph of journalist Demirdaş, who had written about the tenders, on social media and wrote, “I will expose a TERRORISM-lover who goes about in our county as a journalist” to present Demirdaş as a target. Demirdaş also used the following expressions: “Small-time journalist, writer of false news Evren Demirdaş, you continue with your slanders. There is no hiding to anyone’s personality or character. The entire country knows you are a kid with a lovely mother.”

Demirdaş’s “reporting style” assessed

The criminal complaint stated that 10 firms had bid for the tender, that while Veysel Demirci's company had provided the lowest bid, the final decision would be announced pending the decision of the authorizing officer. Demirci claimed that the news item was false and he had been “made a target in the eyes of the public.”

The criminal complaint, which provided an assessment of Demirdaş’s “reporting style,” included the following expressions: “A public impression is created as though the figure quoted in the tender is profit to be made by the company… It goes without explaining that no right or freedom can be without limit; that the freedom of the press may only be enjoyed through actual facts; that it cannot cover the criticism of false events and claims or the use of persons’ names in connection with such and in conclusion that limits may be placed on the freedom of expression to prevent the unfair violation of the honor and dignity of persons, institutions and commercial prestige and the maintenance of public order…”

Competitors also blamed

Demirci claimed that the news item in question was not legal, that his honor, dignity and standing had been harmed and that the news item had gone beyond the limits of the freedom of expression and criticism. Demirci claimed that his “commercial rivals and firms bidding in the same tenders” had made Demirdaş prepare the news item to mark him as a target. Demirci also requested the HTS records for journalist Demirdaş for the dates between the conclusion of the tender and the publication of the news item and demanded an investigation into whether Demirdaş had been in contact with the nine other firms which had bid in the tender.

Journalist Demirdaş: “All the figures I quoted are correct”

Journalist Evren Demirdaş, who businessperson Demirci has alleged has committed the crimes of “fabricating a crime” and “spreading false information,” has given a statement to the police. Demirdaş, who gave a statement at the Fevzi Çakmak Police Station accompanied by his lawyer Kader Arat, rejected the allegations.

Demirdaş stated that he covered public tenders as part of his journalistic activities and said, “I share the information I obtain about from the files I follow with the public. My news item contains no sentence claiming fixing or any allegation against Veysel Demirci. I informed the public because this is a high worth tender. The content of my reporting consists completely of correct information. All the figures I quoted are correct. I had no intention of presenting Veysel Demirci as a target.”

Demirdaş, who provided a screen shot of the tender announcement result taken from the İhale Dergisi trade publication to the directorate of security said: “My news item contains no statements intended to mislead the public. The numbers presented in this magazine were included in the news item. I have not claimed tender fixing either in the news item or afterwards or filed a complaint with law enforcement in this connection. As a journalist, it is one of my duties to make the public aware of all developments in my home province. I prepared this news item to inform the public with the attention and care required by my profession. I will file a complaint and a case against Veysel Demirci for making baseless accusations against me.”