Arrest Demanded for ‘Murderer Edoğan’ Banner on Screen

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Action has been brought against program managers demanding jail term of 5 years and 4 months over “Murderer Erdoğan” banner appearing in news program titled “Kanal D News Good Morning” broadcasted every weekday on Kanal D TV.

According to news report of Burcu Purtul from Hürriyet, banner written “Murderer Erdoğan” on it at the meeting of Peoples’ Republican Party (HDP) Co-Chair, Selahattin Demirtaş in Germany appeared a couple of times in the program.

Following this, Bakırköy Chief Prosecution has demanded jail term of 5 years and 4 months for program anchorperson İrfan Değirmenci, Kanal D TV News Chief Editor, Süleyman Sarılar, News Director, Fevzi Yeniçeri, and news editor, Ali Ekber Aydın over “insulting the president via press”.

In the indictment it has been stated that freedom of informing is an indispensable right in democratic societies, however this right and duty should not be abused, and that exaggerated, offensive, and insulting expressions should be avoided.

It was explained that even though reporting a meeting of a political party is interpreted within the scope of freedom of informing, screening a banner defining President of Turkish Republic as murderer should be interpreted as an explicit insult.

Bakırköy 39th Penal Court of First Instance has accepted the indictment. (EKN/TK)