Journalist Convicted of Influencing the Court

Bagcilar 2nd Court of First Instance condemned daily Yeni Asya editor-in-chief Faruk Cakır to six months imprisonment for "attempting to influence the judicial process" concerning one article about the State Council shooting in May 2006. The sentence was rendered to a fine by the court.

Cakir had been tried on two charges because of an article, which implied that the shooting suspect Alparslan Arslan was linked to a nationalist group and that several retired army officers solicited him.

The court acquitted him on one of the charges, namely of "humiliating the armed forces".

Arslan, a lawyer, had raided the State Council on May 17 shooting five judges and leaving one dead.

Upon his arrest, he implied that the shooting was motivated by a Council decision on a ban on wearing headscarfs in public areas.

The newspaper article in question alleged that Arslan was a member of the anti-İslamist, nationalist so-called "Kızılelma" group, whose members included former army officers.

Despite defense lawyer's argument that the judicial process regarding Arslan's trial wouldn't be influenced by an newspaper article, the court ruled against Cakır, condemning him to damages amounting to 3 thousand 600 YTL (about 1 800 euros).(EO/EÜ)