MLSA - ArtıTV presenter Onur Öncü, who faced investigation under the so-called "censorship law" for a post he made on his social media account about the vote count in the first round of the presidential election, gave a statement at the police station.
Öncü, whose defense was taken on by MLSA, was investigated by the Hakkâri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office for allegedly publicly spreading false information, which is prohibited under Article 217/a of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).
Öncü alleged on March 16, 2023, via his Twitter account (now X Platform), that votes intended for the Green Left Party in multiple ballot boxes in Hakkari, Diyarbakir, and Urfa were registered as votes for the MHP during the first round of the presidential election.
Öncü was summoned to testify through the Küçükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office with a letter of instruction from the Hakkâri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on the grounds of this post. Öncü's statement was taken by the police at the prosecutor's instruction.
Öncü, who testified at the Security Bureau Headquarters at Avcılar Firuzköy Şehit Ilgaz Aykutlu Police Station with MLSA lawyer Fatih Aydın, denied the allegations against him.
Lawyer Aydın stated the police's "Virtual Patrol" practice started the investigation. However, the Constitutional Court's decision on February 19, 2020, annulled the regulation that allowed the police to monitor social media accounts on virtual media.
Aydın added that journalist Öncü was exercising his rights to freedom of expression and press, guaranteed under the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. Lawyer Aydın stated there is no ground for prosecution against Öncü for these reasons.
