President Erdoğan, Banking Agency File Complaint Against TV Anchor Fatih Portakal

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Appealing to the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) have filed a criminal complaint against FOX TV news anchor Fatih Portakal.

While President Erdoğan has complained against Portakal for allegedly "posting false social media messages to manipulate the public", the BDDK has argued that the anchor has "shared unreal and intentional social media messages about the banking and fiscal system."

Statement by Erdoğan's attorney

Ahmet Özel, the attorney of President Erdoğan, has released a written statement about their criminal complaint. Indicating that "Fatih Portakal made some allegations with the tweet he posted," Özel has said:

"These are all an utter lie and statements aiming to manipulate the public. For this reason, we have filed a criminal complaint against Fatih Portakal to the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, relying on the Turkish Penal Code and the BDDK legislation."

BDDK: The reputation of the banking law

In a statement released by the BDDK Directorate of Legal Affairs Department, it has been alleged that journalist Fatih Portakal "made unreal and intentional remarks about the banking and fiscal system" in a post that he shared on his Twitter account.

The statement has referred to the Article 74 of the Banking Law no. 5411. Governing the "protection of reputation," the article says, "No real or legal person shall intentionally damage the reputation, prestige or assets of a bank or disseminate inaccurate news either using any means of communication defined in the Press Code No. 5187 or radio, television, video, internet, cable TV or electronic data communication devices and similar tools."

Accordingly, the BDDK has indicated that the criminal complaint in question has been filed on the ground that "the news and broadcasts that could shake the confidence in banks could cause damages not only to a bank or banks, but to the sector and economy in general."

What did Fatih Portakal say?

Over the last week, in sharing the economic measures to be taken against coronavirus and referring to the government-initiated donation campaign, President Erdoğan has been referring to the "Tekalif-i Milliye", or National Tax, orders issued during the War of Independence in early 1920s.

Criticizing the precautions taken by the government on social media, Portakal lastly posted the following tweet, referring to the above context: 

"I am wondering if they will also ask for money from those who have deposits or savings by reminding them of the Tekalif-i Milliye orders and saying 'We are going through difficult days.' Unfortunately, I cannot say that it will not happen." (TP/SD)

* Source: Anadolu Agency (AA)