Journalist İdris Yılmaz to stand trial over social media post on police violence in Van
Journalist İdris Yılmaz will face charges of "inciting the public to disobey the law" and "inciting hatred and enmity" due to a social media post about police violence during protests in Van. Yılmaz reported that police were allegedly assaulting civilians during demonstrations against the refusal to grant Abdullah Zeydan his mandate as mayor, despite his election victory. His post stated, "It is alleged that police are randomly assaulting civilians in Van."
The Erciş Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office used this post as the basis for the case. The indictment also highlighted that Yılmaz did not hold a press card, presenting this as part of the charges. The prosecutor accused Yılmaz of spreading false information with the aim of creating prejudice against law enforcement.
Charges and inconsistencies in the indictment
The indictment lists charges of "inciting the public to disobey the law" and "publicly inciting hatred and enmity." However, the section titled "charges referred" also includes "publicly disseminating misleading information," under Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code. Despite this, the court record prepared by the Erciş 4th Criminal Court of First Instance did not mention the latter charge when setting the trial date.
The first hearing is scheduled for November 14, 2024, at the Erciş 4th Criminal Court of First Instance.
Yılmaz: 'This case is a reflection of pressure on journalists'
Speaking to MLSA, Yılmaz emphasized that this case exemplifies the ongoing pressure on journalists in Turkey. He argued that his reporting on the disproportionate use of force by the police during the protests in Van should not be criminalized. "These charges show how much pressure journalists are under. Informing the public is not a crime; the real crime is preventing the public from accessing accurate information," Yılmaz said.
Yılmaz criticized the targeting of journalists who report on law enforcement's abuses of power, stating, "The use of excessive force is a human rights violation. I am not the one committing a crime; it’s those who use disproportionate force against the public."
He also noted that while he had submitted his press card as evidence, this was ignored in the indictment, leading him to question the impartiality of the prosecution.
