In a recent development, Mustafa Doğan İnal, former lawyer for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has filed a complaint against journalist Furkan Karabay over a tweet that does not mention İnal by name. The case, which involves allegations of "insult" and "slander," was heard today in its initial session at the Istanbul 5th Criminal Court of First Instance.
During the hearing, both Karabay's defense attorney, Enes Hikmet Ermaner, and İnal's lawyer, Ferah Yıldız, were present. Karabay argued that the accusations were unfounded, noting that the tweets in question did not explicitly link İnal to any illegal activities and were written in the context of general commentary following a petition to the Council of Judges and Prosecutors by the Chief Public Prosecutor of Anadolu.
Karabay's defense stressed that the indictment should not have been accepted without further investigation, claiming no slanderous or insulting statements were made directly about İnal. "There is no expression that could constitute insult or slander," Karabay stated, seeking acquittal due to the lack of direct references or accusations against İnal in his tweets.
Karabay's lawyer, Ermaner, highlighted the ambiguity of the charges, pointing out the difficulty in forming a defense when the specific offensive statements are not clearly indicated in the indictment. He requested the removal of judicial controls imposed on Karabay, which included a travel ban and mandatory weekly police check-ins.
The prosecutor called for the removal of these judicial control measures and requested additional investigation into the matter. İnal's attorney, Yıldız, continued to assert the validity of the complaints and requested to participate in the proceedings.
The court agreed to İnal's lawyer's request to join the case and decided to lift the travel restrictions and other judicial controls against Karabay. The court deferred further proceedings to November 5, awaiting a detailed opinion from the prosecutor on the case's merits.
