Journalist Sued For Publishing Secret Documents

Nazif İflasoğlu, a reporter from daily Radikal, has been acquitted of the accusation of “securing and spreading secret documents” for publishing an article about the strategy of the Follow-Up Committee of the Prime Ministry regarding its fight against the radical Muslim Hizbullah Organization.

Having published his report after the operations of the said organization were discussed in the National Security Committee (MGK), the journalist had found himself on trial at the 10th High Criminal Court of Istanbul.

The report which had been published on June 19, 2007 under the title of “Başbakanlık: Hizbullah’a dikkat!” (Prime Ministry: Beware of the Hizbullah) had passages about the measures that were to be taken against the Hizbullah.

The usual accusations directed against the investigative journalism are “Securing and spreading secret document”, “Attempting to influence the process of fair trial”, and “violation of secrecy”.

Arıkanoğlu: Two cases for “secrecy”

Soner Arıkanoğlu, a reporter from daily Taraf, who was taken into custody on March 27, is facing the above accusations for writing that during one of the operations of the Ergenekon investigation on March 21, the building plan of the Supreme Courts of Appeals was found in the headquarters of the Worker Party (İP).

In addition to the plan, the report had also stated that the part of the indictment for the closing of the Justice and Development Party about President Abdullah Gül was given by Ömer Faruk Eminağaoğlu, President of the Association of Judges and Proseutors, to the İP.

Arıkanoğlu is facing imprisonment for the above charges. Another case has been filed against him for similar reasons.(EÖ/TB)