Journalist Hayri Demir, represented by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), appeared in court facing a lawsuit filed by Edibe Sözen, a former AKP Member of Parliament and current head of the Press Advertisement Agency's executive board. Emine Özhasar, a lawyer from MLSA's Legal Unit defending Demir, emphasized the boundaries of freedom of expression, arguing that the news report in question was an exercise of press and expression rights.
The case, held at the Istanbul 8th Civil Court of First Instance, centers on a moral compensation claim by Prof. Dr. Edibe Sözen, Rector of Maltepe University and a former Deputy Chairperson responsible for Media and Promotion in the AK Party, against Demir and the newspaper Gazete Pencere. The lawsuit stems from an article titled "AKP's 'propaganda group' led by a rector" published in Gazete Pencere, seeking 20,000 Turkish Lira in damages.
During the hearing, Sözen's lawyer stated that she is the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Press Advertisement Agency and argued that "press freedom is not unlimited." The lawyer also mentioned that any compensation awarded would be donated to the Mehmetçik Foundation, emphasizing, "We have no intention of gaining material income."
Melike Türkay, the lawyer for Gazete Pencere, countered that the lawsuit's objective is to compensate for damage. She suggested that if the plaintiff intends to donate to the Mehmetçik Foundation, it indicates no harm was incurred and advised a direct donation instead. Türkay highlighted that Sözen's connection with the AK Party was not a new revelation brought forth by this news report, as Sözen had previously served as an AK Party MP. Türkay requested the dismissal of the case, asserting no damage to Sözen was evident.
Emine Özhasar, representing journalist Demir, reminded Sözen's lawyer of the boundaries of freedom of expression as outlined in the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. She stated, "According to the Convention and case law, journalists have a broader limit of freedom of expression, and the news report in question falls within these boundaries of freedom of expression." Özhasar also requested the case's dismissal.
The court decided to investigate Demir's financial and social circumstances and adjourned the hearing to 9 May 2024 at 11:30.
This lawsuit is part of the ongoing tensions in Turkey between press freedom and political interests. The AK Party, which has been in power for over two decades, has often been criticized for its handling of press freedom and expression rights, making this case particularly significant in the context of Turkey's media landscape.
