ÇİÇEK TAHAOĞLU
In a trial initiated by a complaint from Deputy Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek, journalist Ayça Söylemez has been acquitted of the charge of "targeting individuals involved in counter-terrorism efforts." The second session of Söylemez's trial was held today, March 19, 2024, at the Istanbul 29th High Criminal Court. Observers from various organizations including ARTICLE 19, the US Consulate, the Turkish Journalists Union (TGS), PEN Norway, P24, and MLSA were present at the hearing.
Söylemez's Defense: Reporting Public Information
In her defense, Söylemez stated: “As you know, the article in question in the indictment does not contain any elements of a crime according to our main laws. All the information in the article is based on publicly available court cases, and it's simply an informative piece. It's not just within the scope of press freedom but also a duty and activity of journalism.”
Her lawyer, Güçlü Sevimli, requested an acquittal, pointing out that according to the Press Law, the indictment should have been prepared within four months, but in this case, it was drafted three years after the initial complaint. Sevimli noted the absence of Gürlek's complaint letter in the file and that the case was based solely on a police report. The lawyer presented examples of trials initiated by complaints from judges and prosecutors that resulted in acquittals and argued that the legal elements of the accused crime were not present. Sevimli sought an acquittal if the case was not dismissed outright.
The court ultimately decided to acquit Ayça Söylemez at the end of the hearing.
Background of the Case:
The investigation against Ayça Söylemez began following a complaint by Deputy Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek about her article titled "The talented judge," published in BirGün on February 18, 2020. In her article, Söylemez wrote about Gürlek, who was then a judge at a high criminal court, detailing his decisions in various cases involving journalist Canan Coşkun, CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu, former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, Turkish Medical Association (TTB) President Şebnem Korur Fincancı, members of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD), Academics for Peace, and Sözcü newspaper.
Söylemez was called for a statement in June 2023, three years after the publication of her article, and was subsequently charged with "targeting individuals involved in counter-terrorism efforts." The trial began on November 22, 2023.
