Journalist to Pay Damages for Reporting on Students Made to Pose with Hanging Ropes

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Tuğba Özer, a reporter for the daily Cumhuriyet, has been sentenced to pay 5 thousand Turkish Lira (TRY) in damages for having reported on teacher Aydın Erekmen, who made his elementary school students in Başakşehir, İstanbul pose with hanging ropes in their hands.

The lawsuit was filed against Özer by the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, where Erekmen was working as a volunteer.

Sharing a message on her Twitter account, Tuğba Özer has said, "I have been sentenced to pay 5 thousand TRY in damages in the lawsuit filed against me by the IHH due to the news which I reported on teacher Aydın Erekmen, who gave hanging ropes to his students and had their photos taken, and the link of the teacher to the İHH."

'Foundation and terrorist organization equated'

In the final hearing of the case heard by the İstanbul 23rd Penal Court of First Instance, Sefa Özdemir, the lawyer of the IHH Foundation, stated, "It is understood that the article in question made a civil servant teacher look like a person working at foundations."

Indicating that "the client foundation was equated with a terrorist organization", Özdemir said that it was "a libel against the foundation" and concluded that his "client suffered immaterial damages".

'The reported news is true'

Onur Güneş, the lawyer of journalist Özer, also said, "Not to speak of whether Aydın Erekmen is a member of the complainant foundation, it is understood from the screen images presented to the court that he works on behalf of the IHH and these works are shared on social media."

Underlining that journalist Özer "does not have the right to ask whether Erekmen is legally a member of the foundation or not", lawyer Güneş added, "The reported news is true. There is no attack on personal rights". The lawyer requested dismissal of action.

Court has ruled for damages

Announcing its verdict, the court board has ruled that journalist Tuğba Özer shall pay 5,000 TRY in damages to the İHH Foundation.

What happened?

As reported by journalist Tuğba Özer on İleri Haber news website in 2016, teacher Aydın Erekmen gave hanging ropes to his primary school students in Başakşehir, İstanbul and had their photos taken in classroom.

Özer also reported that the teacher shared this picture on social media, attaching the note "Make or break... Chief...! We want justice".

The teacher was engaging in activities on behalf of the pro-government foundation İHH, Özer also reported. (HA/SD)