Journalist Onur Öncü to defend himself in “insult” case
Özgürüz programmer journalist Onur Öncü, who is accused of insulting Turkey’s Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu, is expected to submit his defense statement.
Küçükçekmece 22nd Criminal Court of First Instance will be trying the case via “simple procedure, ”where Öncü will be represented by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA).
Requesting the journalist be punished as per Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), the indictment claims that Öncü committed the crime “publicly” “against a public official due to their public duty,” and cites the May 3, 2021-dated broadcast on Özgürüz’s Youtube channel titled “Minister of Interior wishing to be the Hortum Süleyman* of the country” as evidence for crime. The expression in the title of the video does not belong to Öncü, but his guest.
Öncü and his lawyers will be submitting their defense statements to the Küçükçekmece 22nd Criminal Court of First Instance in the next 15 days.