Cumhuriyet Journalists Summoned to Depose

* Photo: DİSK Basın-İş (DİSK Press Workers Union)

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Reporter Hazal Ocak, photojournalist Vedat Arık, Managing Editor Olcay Büyüktaş and Chief Editor İpek Özbey from Cumhuriyet have been summoned to depose as part of an investigation into the news about İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality's demolition of the construction carried out by Presidential Communication Director Fahrettin Altun in Kuzguncuk.

A "terror investigation" was launched against the daily due to the news entitled "There is illegal [construction] in Bosphorus" (Boğazda kaçak var) on the ground that Altun's residential address and photo were used in the news and he was thereby "shown as a target to terrorist organizations."

Calling the journalists as part of this investigation, the İstanbul Security Branch Office has summoned them to depose to the Public Security Office.

An access block was also imposed on the related news report as well as similar others reported after it.

What happened?

Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun rented the estate behind his house in the Zone with View to Bosphorus from the Directorate General of Foundations for a period of 10 years.

As reported by Hazal Ocak from daily Cumhuriyet, Altun had a wall built on the estate. While the wall could be seen from many angles, he also had the landscape designed with a road, fireplace and pergola.

The construction in the area was demolished by the teams of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality upon the complaint of his neighbors on April 13.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into the news where Altun's residential address and photo were used on the ground that he was "shown as a target to terrorist organizations."

Shortly afterwards, another investigation has been launched against three people, including CHP Üsküdar District Chair Suat Özçağdaş, in relation with the photographing of Altun's house in Kuzguncuk, İstanbul.

Summoned to depose by phone, Özçağdaş and the two others deposed to the prosecutor's office and they were released pending trial.

The attorneys of Altun have also filed a complaint against CHP İstanbul Chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu over her social media posts about Özçağdaş.

Examining the petition, the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation against Kaftancıoğlu, accusing her of "praising the crime and criminal" and "instigating to violate privacy."

Kaftancıoğlu was also summoned to depose yesterday (April 29). (HA/SD)