Deniz Tekin
Journalist Mahmut Altıntaş, a reporter for the Kurdish news agency Ajansa Welat, has been sentenced to 1 year, 6 months, and 22 days in prison over social media posts. The court ruled to defer the announcement of the verdict.
Conviction over news-related posts
Altıntaş was prosecuted for sharing news reports on social media while working as a reporter for Mezopotamya Agency. The first hearing of his trial took place at Adıyaman 2nd High Criminal Court, with Altıntaş attending via video link from Cizre Courthouse, while his lawyers were present in the courtroom.
After verifying his identity and reading the indictment, Altıntaş defended himself by stating that his journalistic activities were being criminalized, which he argued violated press freedom. He also noted that the images found on his confiscated computer and phone were related to his work as a journalist.
Defense: Press freedom must be protected
Altıntaş’s lawyer, Dilan Güler, argued that the charges were baseless and that her client was being prosecuted solely for his journalism. Another lawyer, Zelal Demiray, emphasized that Altıntaş’s social media posts should be considered within the scope of journalistic activity.
The prosecutor, in the final opinion, demanded Altıntaş be convicted of "making terrorist propaganda," while the defense insisted that his posts fell under freedom of expression and called for his acquittal.
The court sentenced Altıntaş to 1 year, 6 months, and 22 days in prison but deferred the announcement of the verdict, meaning he will not serve time unless he commits a similar offense within a set probation period. Altıntaş stated that he would appeal the decision.
Previous legal troubles
Altıntaş has faced legal challenges before. On Jan. 27, 2024, he was detained in Adıyaman while covering a news story and was reportedly beaten by police. After his release, when he attempted to file a complaint against the officers who assaulted him, he was re-arrested on charges of "resisting law enforcement." On Feb. 21, he was sentenced to five months in prison for "resisting police."
