Penalty for Journalist Coşkun for ‘Defaming Civil Servant’

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Journalist Canan Coşkun has been penalized to pay fine of 12,600 TL due to her report on judges and prosecutors becoming homeowners at a discount rate.

Criticizing the decision, Reporters Without Borders Representative to Turkey Erol Önderoğlu tweeted “We are not surprised since there is no more a state of law”.

What had happened?

A lawsuit had been lodged into Coşkun’s article dated on February 19 on judges and prosecutors becoming homeowners at a discount rate.  İstanbul Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Orhan Kapıcı and prosecutor Orhan Yiğit as complainants, İstanbul 3rd Criminal Judgeship of Peace Judge İslam Çiçek, İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Hadi Salihoğlu, İstanbul Deputy Chief Public Prosecutors Fuzuli Aydoğdu, İrfan Fidan and İsmail Uçar, İstanbul Public Prosecutor Mehmet Demir, Küçükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor Ali Doğan and İstanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor Fehmi Tosun took place as victims in the indictment.

The prosecutor had demanded 23 years and 4 months in prison for Coşkun. (EA/TK)