DENİZ TEKİN
Prosecutors have dropped charges against journalist Aziz Oruç and two women accused of posting on social media while Oruç was in prison. Oruç commented, “As journalists, we often face difficulties and constant judicial harassment.”
Baran Kızıl, arrested in 2022 in Diyarbakır for fraud, assault, and attempted sexual assault, had filed complaints against those posting about him on social media, alleging “insult through audio, written, or visual messages,” “violation of privacy,” and “defamation.”
The Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office initiated an investigation into Aziz Oruç due to posts made on Mezopotamya Agency’s Facebook page while he was detained in 2022. Oruç, summoned to the police station for a statement, was accompanied by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) Legal Unit. Also listed as suspects were Süzen İşbilen, head of the Rosa Women’s Association, and I.G., the woman whom Kızıl had allegedly defrauded and assaulted.
In completing the investigation, the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office decided not to pursue charges against Oruç, İşbilen, and I.G. The decision noted that I.G. was a complainant in the ongoing case against Kızıl, charged with “qualified sexual assault” and “intentional injury.” It was emphasized that I.G.’s social media posts did not constitute a crime since the case was still active.
The decision also stated that since the user of Rosa Women’s Association’s social media account could not be identified, there was no evidence that İşbilen had posted any insulting content.
Regarding Oruç, the decision read: “It was determined that at the time of the alleged crime, the suspect Aziz was in Diyarbakır Closed Penal Institution, meaning he could not have committed the crime.” Oruç described the investigation and being summoned for a statement as not just unlawful but also "absurd" and "tragicomic."
“This investigation highlights the state of the judiciary in Turkey and its approach towards journalists. This is not the first time I have faced such a situation. In 2022, a secret witness in a case where I was detained claimed to have seen me in 2020 in Patnos L-Type Closed Prison. Now, I am experiencing a similar situation. Despite the non-prosecution decision, being summoned and held at the police station for hours is unacceptable. In this politicized judiciary era, we journalists often struggle to perform our duties. We face judicial harassment at every turn, can be summoned and detained for a tweet, or tried for a news report. We long for the day we can work in a freer environment. Despite everything, we will continue our profession,” Oruç stated.
