Journalist Tolga Şardan appeared in court on Tuesday to face charges of spreading misleading information and degrading state institutions.
The charges stem from an article published on the T24 news site, where Şardan mentioned a report prepared by the country’s intelligence agency about high judicial bodies and submitted to the president.
If convicted, Şardan could face up to five years in prison.
Şardan was detained and subsequently arrested in November following the publication of his article titled “What is in the ‘judicial report’ presented by MİT to the Presidency?” The piece led to allegations that he disseminated false information publicly and insulted state institutions, based on articles 217/A and 301/1 of the Turkish Penal Code. His arrest occurred several days after the article's publication, sparking significant public and media interest.
Journalist Tolga Şardan released
The hearing
During the hearing at İstanbul's 2nd Penal Court of First Instance, Şardan, accompanied by his legal team, rejected the accusations. He argued that his article did not constitute either misinformation or defamation. "If there had been any such issue, the Presidency or the MIT would have intervened first," he stated.
Şardan emphasized that the article was based on legitimate information, noting that the intelligence report in question was prepared at the President's request. He insisted that his work was aimed at informing the public about inter-institutional processes rather than targeting individuals.
Several prominent figures attended the hearing in support of Şardan, including representatives from the Turkish Journalists’ Association (TGC), Journalists' Union of Turkey (TGS), Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
Şardan's defense team argued that neither the material nor the moral elements of the alleged crimes were present in his article. They requested the court to acquit him, emphasizing the public interest served by his reporting.
BIA Media Monitoring Reports
Prosecution requests sentence
The prosecutor, however, maintained that Şardan's article included definitive statements about a "judicial report" prepared by MİT, which misled the public and undermined confidence in state institutions. The prosecution argued that the allegations of irregularities and illegal activities within the judiciary harmed public trust and disrupted public order.
The court granted Şardan and his lawyers additional time to respond to the prosecution's arguments. The next hearing is scheduled for December 17. (HA/VK)
