Rabia Çetin
A court in Istanbul has fined journalist Melisa Gülbaş 7,080 Turkish lira (approximately $250) for allegedly “insulting a public official” in a news report about controversial changes at Boğaziçi University. The case stemmed from a December 2023 article detailing the relocation of a university research center and misconduct allegations involving an academic.
The fourth hearing of the case was held at Istanbul’s 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. Neither Gülbaş nor the complainant, Dr. Mehmet Turan, attended the session, though their lawyers were present.
Gülbaş was charged over a report published on December 18, 2023, on the independent news site Gerçek Gündem, titled: “Boğaziçi administration’s attack on science: ‘They didn’t even give us space for our lab equipment.’” The article described how the university's Telecommunications and Informatics Technologies Application and Research Center (TETAM) was downsized under a trustee-appointed administration, with equipment reportedly moved in garbage bags. It also noted the replacement of project lead Prof. Cem Ersoy with Dr. Mehmet Turan, who was allegedly facing harassment allegations.
Following the publication, access to the article was blocked by court order. Dr. Turan later filed a complaint that led to criminal charges against Gülbaş for allegedly insulting him in the report.
Defense cites social media posts and lack of criminal intent
During the hearing, Gülbaş’s lawyer, Bilge Batur, requested time to respond to documents received from the Administrative Court. The judge denied the request.
Reiterating the prosecution’s main argument presented during the first hearing on May 30, 2024, the prosecutor argued that the article, when considered in its entirety, was written with intent to insult and asked for Gülbaş to be convicted of insulting a public official.
Responding to the prosecution’s opinion, Batur said: “The elements of the crime have not been met. The report was based on social media posts by Prof. Dr. Tuna Tuğcu from Boğaziçi University. We request an acquittal.”
Dr. Turan’s lawyer, Muhammet Lütfü Katırcı, also called for Gülbaş to be penalized.
After a brief recess, the judge issued the verdict, citing the nature of the offense, the significance of the subject matter, and the potential harm caused. Gülbaş was fined 7,080 Turkish lira, but the announcement of the verdict was deferred—a legal mechanism in Turkey that can lead to the eventual dismissal of the sentence if the defendant does not commit another offense within a set probation period.
Background
Boğaziçi University, one of Turkey’s most prestigious institutions, has been at the center of controversy since early 2021, when President Tayyip Erdoğan appointed a rector from outside the university's academic community. The decision triggered widespread protests by students and faculty, who viewed it as an erosion of academic autonomy. Since then, many long-standing academics have been dismissed or reassigned, while critics say the administration has undermined academic freedom.
In Gülbaş’s report, she described how the TETAM center was forced into a 45-square-meter space and its equipment moved in garbage bags. The report also highlighted the replacement of the center’s project director and mentioned allegations of misconduct against the newly appointed Dr. Mehmet Turan—allegations that had been circulating online but had not led to any known formal proceedings.
The report’s publication resulted in a court-ordered access ban, followed by the lawsuit filed by Turan, which led to the criminal charges against Gülbaş.
