Court of Appeal Approves Jail Term for Barbaros Şansal

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Sentence of 6 months and 20 days in prison imposed on fashion designer Barbaros Şansal for “openly insulting Turkish nation and Republic of Turkey” due to his words in the video he shared on new year’s night has been approved by the court of appeal.

İstanbul Regional Court of Justice 2nd Chamber of Penalty completed its examination of the sentence imposed by İstanbul 43rd Court of Justice and declared its decision.

Examining the decision of the local court upon Şansal’s attorney Efkan Bolaç’s objection, the 2nd Chamber of Penalty stated that his words in the video “have a content insulting Turkish nation” and approved the sentence.

Announcement of the verdict was deferred in the sentence imposed on Şansal.

What happened?

Fashion designer Barbaros Şansal had shared a video on social media saying "Are you still celebrating the new year while so many journalists are under arrest, so many children are being harassed and raped, there is so much fraud, bribery and bigots share crap on the streets together with religious annunciators".

On January 2, Şansal was deported from Northern Cyprus and sent to Turkey. Şansal’s lawyer stated that the Northern Cyprus officials didn’t give them any document declaring the decision of deportation.

Şansal was assaulted by a group before he was detained by police at Atatürk Airport in İstanbul in the evening hours on January 2. Cuts and injuries occurred on his body due to the battering.

Stating that he shared the video in Northern Cyrpus, Şansal had drawn some circles' reaction for saying "I hope you die in your own shit Turkey".

Deported from Northern Cyprus due to his social media sharings following Reina attack, subjected to lynch attempt in Turkey and detained, Barbaros Şansal was detained following prosecution questioning on charge of "inciting people to hate and hostility" on January 4, 2017, and arrested on February 3, 2017. (AS/TK)