July 2, 2024
Eylem Sonbahar
Prosecutors are seeking a conviction against journalist Furkan Karabay for "targeting individuals involved in anti-terrorism efforts" and "publicly insulting a public official" during his trial. Karabay was detained for reporting on court transcripts and arrested the next day, later released after 11 days in custody.
The second hearing in Karabay's trial, based on his article "Bribery fight in mafia case documented in court records" published on Gerçek Gündem and a related social media post, took place at the Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court. Karabay and his lawyer Enes Hikmet Ermaner attended, with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey Representative Erol Önderoğlu observing.
The prosecution argued that Karabay's article and social media activity warranted charges of "targeting individuals involved in anti-terrorism efforts" and "publicly insulting a public official."
Ermaner requested additional time to prepare a defense against the prosecutor's final opinion and sought the removal of Karabay's travel ban. The court granted both requests, lifting the travel ban and postponing the trial to October 1, 2024.
Background
Karabay was arrested on December 28, 2023, after publishing an article detailing statements from the trial of Barış Saral of the Sarallar group. He was jailed the following day and released on January 8, 2024, after his lawyers' second appeal against his detention.
The indictment lists Court of Cassation member Okan Albayrak, Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor Şaban Yılmaz, and Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court members Murat Bircan as "victims" of Karabay's alleged offenses.
