Corruption-Covering Reporters Convicted to Prison Sentence

Two journalists have been convicted to prison terms for covering Turkey’s December 17 Corruption Probe.

Yurt newspaper reporter Meriç Şenyüz has been convicted to 6 months of prison for covering on the land owning projects initiated by then-PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son Bilal Erdoğan. 

Dated on January 17, Şenyüz’s article wrote the following: “So that Bilal would erect an mall in Etiler district, a police school land has been seized. It was first handed to the municipality from the polie authorities. Then it was declared as “risky zone” and then the mall project started.”

Saying that he would appeal the ruling [until then, he will not serve in prison], Şenyüz wrote the following on twitter: “This is kind of understandable but those who stole millions in shoeboxes have not even made a statement. I am frustrated about this.” 

Ulusal Kanal reporter Özer Sürmeli, on the other hand, has been convicted to 5 months of prison for covering various bribery allegations on Turkey’s December 17 Corruption Probe with an article entitled “Bribery delivery in the toilet”. His sentence was postponed. 

The detailed verdict said the defendant “caused the persons in matter to be perceived as criminals”. 

According to Sürmeli’s article dated on January 9, it was claimed that individuals representing corporations and institutions exchanged money loaded of letters through a toilet reserved for disabled people in the western province of Izmir.  

Concerning those allegations, several individuals were detained including Transport Minister Binali Yıldırım’s son-in-law Cemalettin Haberdar.(EÖ/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.