Journalist Karabay faces charges of "chain defamation" and "open insult"
ELİF AKGÜL
In the second hearing of the trial against journalist Furkan Karabay , stemming from a complaint by President Erdoğan's former lawyer, Mustafa Doğan İnal, the prosecutor called for Karabay's punishment. The charges are related to "chain defamation" and "open insult".
The hearing took place on Feb. 29 at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. Karabay and his lawyer, Enes Hikmet Ermaner, were present, as was Mehmet İnal, representing Mustafa Doğan İnal.
Prosecutor Sercan Baş, in his opinion on the merits of the case, argued for Karabay to be penalized under the accusations of "chain defamation" and "open insult". He claimed that Karabay's news report was detrimental to the "honor, dignity, and reputation" of the complainant and did not contribute positively to society.
The court accepted the requests of the parties for time to respond to the prosecutor's opinion on the merits. The trial has been adjourned to June 6, 2024, at 14:00.
Karabay is being tried for an article published on April 19, 2023, on the Gerçek Gündem website. The news story in question is titled "Why did Muhammed Yakut threaten Erdoğan's lawyer Mustafa Doğan İnal? Indictment issued in armed attack amid allegations of FETÖ Exchange".
