Prime Minister Litigates Journalist Ekşi

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan filed a lawsuit against Hürriyet newspaper and the nation-wide daily's editor-in-chief Oktay Ekşi on the grounds of the column entitled "We have not been as critical as we should". The article criticized the government's policies on the construction of the Hydroelectric Power Plants (HES) in the Ikizdere Valley in the eastern Black Sea region.

The column read, "Now we can see the abilities of that mentality which sells the essentials to its own advantage".

Subject of Ekşi's column was a writing regarding the transfer of the declared protected area from the Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection Board to the authority of the Ministry of Labour. The writing was published in the provincial issue of the daily. In the referring Istanbul issue it read, "Now we can see the abilities of the mentality which sells everything to its own advantage".

The column was published on 28 October 2010. The petition claims an "attack on PM Erdoğan's personal rights and moral personality" and seeks compensation of TL 100,000 (€ 50,000) including interest.

After the publication of the article on subject, Ekşi issued a short note of apology and resigned as chief editor. (EÖ/VK)