Journalist Sentenced to Prison for Criticizing Sub-Governor, Verdict Upheld 6 Years Later
* Photo: Özgür Boğatekin / Facebook
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Özgür Boğatekin, the news director of Gerger Fırat local newspaper in Adıyaman, was previously sentenced to 1 year, 15 days in prison for criticizing Ömer Bilgin, the then Sub-Governor of Gerger. His prison sentence has been upheld by the 8th Penal Chamber of the Court of Cassation.
Boğatekin was also sentenced to pay a judicial fine of 10 thousand lira for insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the then Prime Minister. The appeal of the journalist against this fine has been rejected by the 9th Penal Chamber of the Gaziantep Regional Court of Justice, the court of appeals. Both judgements were handed down yesterday (June 4).
The verdict upheld by the Court of Cassation has been notified to Boğatekin. His prison sentence is expected to be executed in a few days.
An investigation was launched against Boğatekin in 2013 and 2014 over his articles criticizing Ömer Bilgin, the then Sub-Governor of Gerger. A lawsuit was filed against him at the Gerger Penal Court of First Instance in 2014 and Boğatekin has been sentenced to 1 year, 15 days in prison. The Court of Cassation has concluded the case six years later.
According to the notification of the 8th Penal Chamber of the Court of Cassation, the court has unanimously ruled that the appeal of the journalist shall be rejected and the verdict of the local court be upheld.
In fact, Hacı Boğatekin, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, also faced an investigation over the same news. But, the prosecutor conducting the investigation concluded that the news should be considered within the frame of freedom of expression and gave a decision of non-prosecution.
'Judge who gave the verdict is now in prison'
Hüseyin Boğatekin, one of the attorneys of the newspaper, says that there are more than one file against Özgür and Hacı Boğatekin.
The one-year prison sentence of Hacı Boğatekin, his father, over a news article entitled "FETÖ and Apo" has just been upheld by the Court of Cassation, attorney Boğatekin has reminded us.
Hüseyin Boğatekin says that his family faced the wreath of Gülenist community, or the FETÖ, which is held responsible for the coup attempt on July 15, 2016. Boğatekin has briefly said the following:
"During the time of [Fethullah Gülen] community, dozens of lawsuits were filed against us. The sub-governor, the lieutenant... Everyone filed complaints against us. The lawsuit filed in those days have been, unfortunately, upheld. All of these lawsuits are unjust. They were not tried fairly. They did not even stand before the judge most of the time.
"The judge who gave a prison sentence to my brother in this lawsuit has been arrested as part of an investigation against the FETÖ. He has been dismissed from the profession. At the trial held by the Adana Heavy Penal Court, the judge has been sentenced to 9 years in prison on charge 'being a member of an armed terrorist organization.'
"The prison sentence given by this judge has now been upheld by the Court of Cassation. My brother and father will be sent to prison, let alone reporting news. The imprisonment of my father amid pandemic worries us, considering his age." (HA/SD)