Eylem Sonbahar
The Istanbul 74th Criminal Court of First Instance has decided to examine the possibility of consolidating two cases against journalist Furkan Karabay, who is on trial for allegedly "insulting the president" through social media posts.
The third hearing in Karabay's ongoing trial, related to three social media posts he made in 2023, took place without his presence. His attorney, Özge Naz Akkaya, attended the session on his behalf. The charges are based on Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code, which criminalizes insulting the president and has been widely criticized by international rights groups for its broad application.
During the hearing, attorney Melih Tüfenkci, representing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, reiterated the continuation of their complaint and stated, "We request the defendant's punishment once the missing aspects of the case are addressed."
The court ruled to send the file to Turkey's National Judiciary Informatics System (UYAP) to determine whether it could be merged with a separate case against Karabay, also on charges of "insulting the president," being heard at the Istanbul 56th Criminal Court of First Instance. If the necessary conditions are met, the court will issue the required orders to combine the cases before the next hearing.
The court has adjourned proceedings until June 19.
