"Justice in a Gown"

The trial launched by the Prosecutor of Erzurum (eastern Anatolia), Osman Şanal, against Cumhuriyet newspaper columnist İlhan Taşçı on the grounds of the journalist's book "Justice in a Gown" started on 27 January. The bone of contention is the cover of the book which features a man with a green cap and a characteristic beard in a prosecutor's gown. Şanal's compensation claim is based on an alleged resemblance of that person with himself and on "interjections" used in several sentences.

As reported by the Cumhuriyet daily, the first hearing before the Ankara Criminal Court of First Instance was attended by defendant Taşçı, his lawyer Feyza Yüksel from the Yeni Gün News Agency Press and Publication Inc. and Şanal's lawyer Süleyman Sallı.

Lawyer Yüksel submitted a petition of rebuttal in response to the plaintiff petition. Judge Hatice Zerrin Gürkanlı decided to adjourn the case in order to allow additional time for Sallı to deliver the plaintiff opinion on the petition and for both sides to present evidence.

Lawyer Yüksel: Şanal's evaluations are subjective

In his petition, Yüksel stated that the book on subject was not about complainant Şanal and that it was neither aimed at attacking Şanal's personal rights nor at percipitating a misconception in the public. He claimed that everything what was said in the book is based on official documents, press statements of the involved people and announcements of people involved in the actual incidents.

It was furthermore said in the petition that Şanal "assessed the book as if it was written about him. Even the picture on the book cover, not related to him at all, was seen by him as trying to depict him". These evaluations were described as "subjective" in the petition. It was claimed that taking the book into consideration as a whole such an evaluation was impossible.

Şanal found himself in the book

Plaintiff lawyer Sallı on the other hand stated in his petition that the book violated the personal rights of his client. "The book contains news to the disadvantage of my client and harming his personal rights. Hence, my client's professional success and reputation were harmed. Even the depiction on the book cover itself is enough to victimize my client to a certain extend and harm his personal rights", it was said.

Taşçı is facing a TL 15,000 (€ 7,500) compensation claim. In his book, he tried to reveal what was happening behind the scenes of the investigation into the İsmailağa congregation which eventually lead to the arrest of İlhan Cihaner, then Public Prosecutor of Erzincan (north-eastern Anatolia). (EÇ/EÖ/VK)