Naci Sapan, coordinator and columnist for Tigris Haber, was sentenced to a judicial fine of 135 days (converted to 2,700 Turkish lira) for allegedly "insulting public officials acting as a committee" in a column criticizing the trustee administration of Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality. The court deferred the announcement of the sentence and placed Sapan under a five-year probationary period, during which any repeat offenses could activate the suspended penalty.
Case background
Sapan’s March 29, 2023, column, titled “Trustees and Little Trustees!” published on tigrishaber.com, discussed allegations of corruption and irregularities surrounding an 800,000-lira land sale conducted under the trustee administration. Ali İhsan Su, then-governor of Diyarbakır and appointed trustee of the municipality, along with several commission members, filed a complaint.
The Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office indicted Sapan for "insulting public officials acting as a committee due to their duties." The Diyarbakır 5th Criminal Court of First Instance opted for a simplified trial procedure, bypassing in-person hearings.
Sapan’s defense
In his written defense, Sapan rejected the allegations, asserting that his column fell within the bounds of press and freedom of expression:
- "My writing should be evaluated under the scope of freedom of expression and press freedom. There is no element of insult against public officials. I criticized the way public duties were executed without intent to offend," Sapan stated.
Court ruling and penalties
The court ruled that Sapan’s column constituted an insult to public officials and sentenced him to a judicial fine of 2,700 lira. If the fine is not paid, it will be converted into 135 days of imprisonment.
Additionally, the court ruled that Sapan must pay 17,900 lira in attorney fees for one of the complainants, Şerif Çelik. Despite deferring the sentence under probation, the court set a five-year monitoring period, with any further infractions potentially activating the sentence.
Appeal filed
Sapan’s lawyer filed an appeal, arguing that the decision violated procedural and legal standards.
Broader implications
This case adds to the growing list of legal actions against journalists in Turkey for their coverage of government-appointed trustees in municipalities. Critics argue such cases suppress press freedom and shield public officials from accountability.
