Court rejects request for inquiry about whether Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun is assigned with fight against terrorism

CANSU PİŞKİN, ISTANBUL

The fourth hearing of a trial in which four journalists from Cumhuriyet newspaper -- reporter Hazal Ocak, responsible managing editor Olcay Büyüktaş Akça, managing editor İpek Özbey and photojournalist Vedat Arık -- are charged with “marking an official assigned with the fight against terrorism as a target” under Article 6/1 of the Anti-Terror Law (TMK) and “violating the secrecy of one’s private life” Under Article 134 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) was held at the Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court on 1 December 2021.

The accusations stem from a report by Ocak, published on 14 April 2020. Ocak’s report claimed that the Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun had commissioned illegal construction work on a plot of land near his residence in Istanbul that he had rented from the General Directorate of Foundations. Following the report, Altun filed a complaint against the newspaper, claiming that “his residence was photographed and his full address was published without permission” and that he was “marked as a target for terrorist organizations.”

P24 monitored the latest hearing. Ocak, Akça, Özbey, Arık and their lawyers were in attendance. Altun’s lawyer did not attend. Representatives from the Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) were also among those observing the hearing.

The prosecutor addressed the court first, reiterating their final opinion submitted to the court on 24 June 2021 and requesting that the court convict all four journalists as charged.

The journalists’ lawyer Turan Karakaş addressed the court next. Recalling Article 15 of the Anti-Terror Law, Karakaş asserted that since the Communications Director is not among the state’s military or law enforcement officials, the provision is not applicable in this case. Karakaş also requested that the court inquire of the Interior Ministry and the Presidency about whether Altun was assigned a duty in the fight against terrorism. The lawyers representing the journalists also requested further investigation.

The presiding judge rejected the request for an inquiry about whether Altun was assigned with fight against terrorism, citing the contents of the case file and available evidence. The court adjourned the trial until 31 March 2022.