Journalist Uğur Güç acquitted

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Put on trial over a news report entitled "Court did what the foulmouthed lawyer wanted: Prison sentence to Işıl Özgentürk," soL News Portal Managing Editor and Progressive Journalists' Association (ÇGD) Representative Uğur Güç had his final hearing yesterday (November 17).

At his fourth hearing at İstanbul Anadolu 29th Penal Court of First Instance, journalist Güç has been acquitted of "insulting state institutions".

Uğur Güç was facing this charge upon the criminal complaint of Mustafa Doğan İnal, the attorney of President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

While Güç did not attend the hearing yesterday, his attorney Özgür Murat Büyük was present in the courtroom. Büyük demanded the acquittal of his client. The court has ruled that Güç shall be acquitted of the offense charged. The detailed ruling will be pronounced at a later date.

What happened?

Işıl Özgentürk, a columnist for Cumhuriyet newspaper, wrote an article entitled "New generation veiled [women]" Erdoğan's attorney Mustafa Doğan İnal filed a criminal complaint about this article.

Işıl Özgentürk was sentenced to prison in the ensuing trial. After this judgement was handed down by the court, soL Haber Portalı (left news portal) covered this prison sentence in a news story titled "Court did what the foulmouthed lawyer wanted: Prison sentence to Işıl Özgentürk."

In response to this, attorney Mustafa Doğan İnal filed a lawsuit into this title on charge of "insulting a public official due to his or her duty."

As İnal did not fulfil a public duty in the trial which he had attended not as an attorney, but as an intervening party, the news portal argued that "there was neither an insult, nor a public duty."

At the first hearing, attorney Özge Demir said that "foulmouthed" was intended as a criticism, not as an insult. Making defense at court, İnal emphasized that he was a Muslim and said, "As I am a Muslim and Islam forbids swearing, 'küfürbaz' (swearer, foulmouthed) is an insult for us."

At the previous hearing, sol Haber's attorneys demanded time for the defense as to the accusations and the plaintiffs demanded time to present examples from the portal's news stories.

In response, the Presiding Judge said, "In fact, a ruling could have been handed down today, but considering that both parties demand time, then I adjourn the hearing until two weeks later." (HA/SD)