Investigation against columnist for writing parliament’s name in lower case

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An investigation has been launched against Yılmaz Özdil, a columnist for Sözcü newspaper, upon the criminal complaint of the Speaker's Office.

In his article dated July 4, 2020, when the bar association chairs were protesting the law on multiple bar associations in Turkey, Özdil wrote in the title, "What are the bar associations doing at the Tbmm..."

In other words, while the Parliament of Turkey is officially called the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and abbreviated as "TBMM" in Turkish, the columnist wrote the last three letters in minuscules.

Özdil is now facing an investigation over this article on irregularities at the Parliament. Upon the complaint of the Parliamentary Speaker's Office, an investigation has been launched against him on charge of "degrading the nation, state of the Republic of Turkey, the organs and institutions of the state" as per the Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

The Department of Legal Services of the Parliament appealed to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, alleging that the remarks in the article directly targeted the MPs and intended to humiliate the Parliament.

As the permission of the Justice Ministry is necessary to open an investigation as per the Article 301 of the TCK, the prosecutor's office has got permission from the Directorate General of Penal Affairs of the Ministry and requested a statement from Yılmaz Özdil on the offense charged.

In his petition submitted to the prosecutor's office, Özdil has not accepted the charge, indicating that "there is a intellectual link between the trueness, actuality and social interest of the news and its form."

However, in the indictment prepared by the prosecutor's office, it is said that the remarks in the article do not fall within freedom of expressing thoughts or harsh criticism. Alleging that his remarks publicly degrade the Parliament, the office has demanded that Özdil stand trial over his article.

Facing up to 2 years in prison on the offense charged, Yılmaz Özdil, in his article, criticized that the chairs of bar associations were not allowed to enter the Parliament during the talks on bill of multiple bar associations at the Parliamentary Justice Commission and listed the incidents of theft and irregularities witnessed at the Parliament thus far.

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(HA/SD)