Prison sentence for a news report on Justice Ministry Deputy Akın Gürlek

ANKA News Editor-in-Chief Mansur Çelik has been sentenced to 6 months in prison due to a news report covering Justice Ministry Deputy Akın Gürlek's failure to implement the Constitutional Court's decision regarding the Republican People's Party (CHP) İstanbul Deputy Enis Berberoğlu during his tenure as the presiding judge of İstanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court.

During the trial at Ankara 22nd Heavy Penal Court, Mansur Çelik, who is accused of 'targeting a person involved in counter-terrorism efforts (Terrorism Law Article 6/1)' in the news article titled "Judge Making Waves in Turkey's Agenda," defended himself for 38 minutes.

Mansur Çelik's lawyer, Elçin Özge Şimşek Çağlayan, was also present at the hearing. Additionally, the trial was attended by Kenan Şener, the Secretary-General of the Association of Journalists (TGC), Journalists' Union of Turkey (TGS) lawyer Ülkü Şahin, and Çelik's colleagues.

"Akın Gürlek initiated a new era"

Çelik stated that Akın Gürlek initiated a new era in Turkey by not implementing the Constitutional Court's decision, and continued:

"In fact, with the implementation that Akın Gürlek started that day and some similar decisions that followed, I believe the Turkish judiciary is now entangled in a completely new debate. Today, various levels of the Turkish judicial system have reached a point where different voices emerge from every direction, and harmony has been disrupted. Because the templates showing which procedures to follow and what decisions can be reached in every issue have collapsed. I'm sorry, but these events today also undermine confidence in the judiciary.

"Those combating terrorism in the law are not judges"

In May, I will complete 29 years in the profession and enter my 30th year. Dealing with such intense laws, interpretations, and court decisions from the higher judiciary, as a journalist, I can easily conclude the following: The individuals mentioned as 'those combating terrorism' in Article 6/1 of the Anti-Terror Law are not the court presidents, members, or judges. You, as independent judges, examine cases involving suspects, defendants, and investigation subject matters detained and collected by officials combating terrorism. You evaluate, based on the indictments prepared by prosecutors, how compliant the file is with legal regulations on behalf of the 'Turkish nation,' and make decisions."

Following Çelik's defense and his lawyer's statements, the court adjourned. After the break, the court announced its decision, sentencing Mansur Çelik to the legal minimum of 1 year imprisonment defined in Article 6/1 of the Anti-Terror Law. The court reduced this to 10 months and further lowered it to 6 months, suspending the sentence. Additionally, the court lifted the travel ban that had been in place for 14 months.

After the announcement of the reasoned decision, Çelik stated that they would appeal to the Court of Appeal to overturn the conviction. (HA/PE)