MLSA - Sinan Aygül, President of the Bitlis Journalists Association, has begun a new trial today on charges of "insult" against the bodyguards of Tatvan Mayor Mehmet Emin Geylani, following an incident where Aygül was allegedly assaulted by the bodyguards. The trial took place at the Tatvan 1st Criminal Court of First Instance, where Aygül, his lawyers, and the complainant Yücel Baysalı and his lawyer were present.
During the identity verification and his defense, Aygül expressed his disillusionment with the judicial process, stating, "As someone who defends the interests of society, I want to share what I’ve experienced. In previous cases, I mentioned that justice should be upheld. However, I have lost my faith in this court. Therefore, I do not wish to make a substantive defense on the case."
Aygül's lawyer, Diyar Ok, emphasized that Aygül is a journalist reporting on the Tatvan Municipality and had been attacked in public. Ok pointed out the irony of Aygül being prosecuted while the attackers remained free, saying, "We are ashamed to even have to defend against this while the perpetrator sits unpunished."
Despite complainant Yücel Baysalı withdrawing his complaint, Aygül insisted that the trial should continue to clear the court's name, stating, "I do not accept the withdrawal of the complaint. I want this trial to continue so that the court can remove this stain."
