Journalist Acquitted after Five Years

Journalist Ibrahim Tig, who writes for the Bölge Haber (Regional News) published in the Devrek district of Zonguldak, was acquitted at his trial on 30 January.

He had been charged with insulting the Devrek district governor (kaymakam) Alper Orkun in the press, and two years imprisonment had been demanded. The court case has been going on for five years.

What money was used?

Tig had written two articles entitled “To the Kaymakam” and “The Sarar brand suit”. In the latter article, he had written:

“The Bey of Devrek has bought two of his guard and an administrator suits of the Sarar brand. Apparently they cannot stop praising our Bey anywhere. We are not suprised by the praise of the administrator who does not spend one evening without whisky and who has ensured that his son gets food support from the foundation. One cannot help but wonder at the special treatment of the son. Of course, while hungry people in need of help cannot get this support…I ask the Bey, did he pay for those suits with his own money or with Money from the foundation? If he answers, I will inform you, our dear readers….”

The Devrek Penal Court decided on 30 January that Tig had not shown the intention of insulting at a concrete event. Prosecutor Mehmet Hanifi Yildirim, citing Article 223/2-d of the Code of Criminal Procedure Law 5271, called for the acquittal of the journalist since the text was within acceptable limits of journalism and criticism. (EÖ/TK/AG)