bianet's ex-chief editor on trial: 'This is a case aimed at intimidating journalists'

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The first hearing was held today, in the case opened by Mustafa Doğan İnal, ex-lawyer of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against Nazan Özcan, ex-chief editor of bianet at the İstanbul 34th Criminal Court of First Instance. Özcan is facing allegations of libel and slander due to the bianet report "Lawsuit against journalists covering allegations of bribery about Erdoğan's lawyers" dated December 7, 2021.

Özcan, who is charged with "insult" and "libel," attended the hearing with her lawyer Meriç Eyüboğlu.

Mustafa Doğan İnal did not participate in the hearing while his lawyer Ömer Faruk Karagüzel was present.

İzel Sezer from İleri Haber news portal was also present and followed the hearing. Sezer is also facing trial in a similar case again opened by Mustafa Doğan İnal where a prison sentence of 11 years and four months is requested.

When asked who the person writing the report was Özcan told the court "I have full responsibility since I was the chief editor at the time."

Özcan quoted from the declaration of the rights and responsibilities of journalists issued by the Journalists' Association of Türkiye in her statement saying "The journalist has to be the voice of the victims, the weak, the poor, the marginalized and those who cannot make their voices heard" and said that she was a journalist since 25 years. She said that she had always practiced her profession with such responsibility.

" A case aiming at intimidating journalists"

Özcan said that this was a completely inconsistent case and that she could not link what they have done in the report with the allegations.

She said, "Our report published in bianet and which is the subject of the case is related to the opening of another case against our two colleagues, İzel Sezer and Doğan Ergün, requesting 11 years and four months of imprisonment. The reason for this case is also a complaint by Mustafa Doğan İnal.

"İnal could be any person, but he is special. He is the ex-lawyer of President Erdoğan. So he is a public figure. Again it is clear that it would be newsworthy that a lawyer is bargaining with members of the judiciary for bribery even if this person is not the lawyer of the President.

"It is the same in terms of journalists. Everywhere in the world, it is reported when journalists have to stand a trial.

"So how could we write this report? Could we only write 'Ex-lawyer of the President has sued journalists" and leave it there? Let me tell you professionally, this would be completely insufficient.

"The report should at least answer the questions such as why this case is opened. why do our colleagues have to face trial and what kind of grave crime is committed, so that 11 years of imprisonment is being requested?

"And we have done this. We have written the reason why the journalists are being sued. "Reporting about the tweets including claims that Mustafa Doğan İnal, ex-lawyer of the President is bargaining for bribery.

"So we have done our job and written the report with all its elements and the background. Is this a crime? Or is this doing our job properly? The complainant and the prosecutor are accusing me of libel and slander. I look, I read the report and examine it, there is no such thing! And I am 100 percent sure. A journalist of 25 years knows that she should not insult.

"I look at the report only 2000 characters long and the word "claim" has been used five times. So we are not making a judgment, we are not slandering as claimed, we are only saying that there is such a claim about this person.

"No sound justification has been written for the allegations because there is no libel or slander. Why am I, are we facing trial then? Because this is an assault and a sign of bad intention toward doing away with the freedom of the press. It is a case aimed at intimidating journalists."

Özcan said that as a result, she does not accept any of the allegations and that she rejects them all.

The next hearing of the case will be held on March 22, 2023.

Hearing of the case where İzel Sezer and Doğan Ergün are standing trial was also held today at the İstanbul 33rd Criminal Court of First Instance. The next hearing of this case will be on March 14, 2023. (HA/PE)