11 months in prison for attacking journalist Levent Gültekin

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The court has handed down its ruling in the trial over the physical assault against journalist Leven Gültekin, who was on his way to the live program on Halk TV studios in İstanbul's Bakırköy in March 2021.

The final hearing at the İstanbul Bakırköy 47th Criminal Court of First Instance was attended by the lawyers of the sides.

While the lawyers of the defendants requested the acquittal of their clients at yesterday's hearing (March 23), the lawyer of Levent Gültekin requested penalization of the defendants at the upper limit.

Handing down its ruling, the court ruled that defendants Muhammed Emin Kılıç and Ömer Doğru should be sentenced to 1 year in prison each on charge of "wilful injury". Noting that the act led to minor bone fracture in the plaintiff, the board increased the prison terms to 1 year, 2 months.

Considering the possible effects of the penalization on their social relations and future, the court has reduced the prison sentence to 11 months, 20 days each and deferred the announcement of the verdict.

So, Kılıç and Doğru will not be sent to prison.

What happened?

Journalist Levent Gültekin was attacked in front of the Halk TV in Bakırköy, İstanbul on March 8, 2021. Attending his TV program on the channel after the attack, Gültekin then went to the Bakırköy District Security Directorate and filed a criminal complaint against the assaulters.

While two of the three suspects were arrested for "injuring" Gültekin, they were released two months later. Released on probation as he was younger than 18, his investigation is still ongoing.

The prosecutor's office pronounced its final opinion as to the accusations on March 15 and requested that the two defendants be sentenced to 1 year, 6 months to 4 years, 6 months in prison. (HA/SD)