- Turkey’s Court of Cassation upheld a ruling rejecting a non-pecuniary damages lawsuit filed over remarks by journalist Canan Kaya, who was represented by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), about Demirören Media on the news website Medya Koridoru.
- The court said the article concerned a current issue of public interest and that the statements at issue were protected under freedom of the press and freedom of expression.
MLSA — Turkey’s Court of Cassation has upheld a ruling dismissing a 20,000 Turkish lira non-pecuniary damages lawsuit filed by Demirören Media against journalist Canan Kaya over remarks published Nov. 26, 2021, on Medya Koridoru, a news website owned by Kaya.
The Court of Cassation said the news report concerned an issue that was current at the time of publication and that the language used remained within the bounds of permissible criticism. Kaya is represented by the Legal Unit of the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA).
Demirören Media had sought 20,000 lira in non-pecuniary damages, arguing that Kaya’s remarks harmed the company’s commercial reputation and violated its personality rights. The company also requested that the court’s decision be published in two national newspapers and on Kaya’s website.
In its complaint, the company argued that the news report was “untrue,” “baseless” and “false,” and claimed that it had created “manipulation and a perception” against the company in the eyes of the public.
Lower court dismisses lawsuit
The Istanbul 39th Civil Court of First Instance had dismissed the lawsuit. The court said the publication provided information about the plaintiff company by citing news reports that had appeared in print and broadcast media, while also including the writer’s own views.
The plaintiff company’s appeal was also rejected by the 4th Civil Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice.
Court of Cassation: News report served the public interest
The Court of Cassation, which reviewed the case on appeal, rejected Demirören Media’s objections.
In its ruling, the court said the news report concerned an issue that was current at the time it was published. It said the report used striking headlines intended to attract readers’ attention, as is common in journalistic practice, but that the language remained within the bounds of permissible criticism.
The court said the report served the public interest and that the words and expressions used fell within the public’s right to receive information and the press’s right to report the news.
The Court of Cassation also said the press could not be held liable for reporting events that appeared to be real and verifiable at the time of publication but were later found to be untrue.
The ruling said there was public interest in the subject of the news report and that a proper balance had been maintained between its substance and presentation. It also emphasized the press’s role in informing, educating and enlightening the public by following, investigating, assessing and reporting events.
On those grounds, the Court of Cassation concluded that the words and expressions at issue did not constitute an infringement of Demirören Media’s personality rights.
The court rejected all of Demirören Media’s grounds of appeal and upheld the rulings of both the lower court and the Regional Court of Justice.
The decision was issued unanimously on May 7, 2026. The case file was ordered to be returned to the court of first instance.
