Ex-chief editor of bianet acquitted in 'libel' case

Click to read the article in Turkish

Nazan Özcan, the ex-chief editor of bianet, standing trial for a report about another law case against two journalists, and facing "insult" and "libel" charges, was acquitted at the court in today's hearing (April 25).

Özcan was standing trial for a report on bianet about the law case against İzel Sezer and Doğan Ergün from İleri Haber internet news portal opened because of the complaint by Mustafa Doğan İnal, an ex-lawyer of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, where their imprisonment up to 11 years and 4 months was being requested. 

Özcan and her lawyer Meriç Eyüboğlu were present in the court room today. While lawyer İnal did not participate he was represented by Melike Nur Bak. 

Erol Önderoğlu, Representative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in Turkey and many journalists and representatives of civil society organizations were present in order to observe the trial. 

The judge first listened to the prosecutor who submitted the indictment in the second trial on March 22. The prosecutor reexpressed his opinion and requested acquittal of Özcan.  

İnal's lawyer Bak stated that their complaint was still valid, and requested that Özcan should be convicted of insult and libel. 

Özcan's lawyer Eyüboğlu, on the other hand, stated that she agreed with the prosecutor's opinion requesting for acquittal, and said, "The journalists are standing trial in this courthouse almost every day, but we have not seen such opinions since long," 

"It is not necessary to be a lawyer to understand that there is no crime in this news report. A law case was opened against journalists. this law case has been reported elsewhere. There is no connection between what Özcan has done and what is stated in İnal's complaint."

Özcan also requested her acquittal in the court room. The court reached a decision and ruled for acquittal of Özcan from both charges. 

What happened?

The article in question was about a lawsuit against Doğan Ergün, the former Editor-in-Chief of İleri Haber news website, and İzel Sezer, the then Managing Director and the current Editor-in-Chief of İleri Haber who have been facing up to 11 years, 4 months in prison.

The reason for the lawsuit against the two journalists is the news reports regarding the tweets of an opposition MP making allegations of bargaining for bribes about Mustafa Doğan İnal, the former lawyer of the President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Mustafa Doğan İnal, claiming that the allegations in the article do not reflect the truth, filed a criminal complaint against the journalists.

The indictment against the journalists has argued that the journalists committed the repeated offenses of "publicly insulting", "unlawful disclosure of data obtained by recording non-public conversations in the press" and "libel".

After İnal's complaint, an investigation was launched against Ergün and Sezer by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. (HA/PE)