Semra Pelek
An Istanbul court on Friday acquitted investigative journalist Tolga Şardan of spreading misleading information in one case but handed him a 5-month suspended prison sentence for insulting the judiciary, while clearing him in a second, separate trial heard the same day.
Şardan was tried at Istanbul’s 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance over a column titled “What is in the ‘judiciary report’ submitted by the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) to the Presidency?” The article examined alleged irregularities within Turkey’s judicial system.
The court acquitted Şardan of the charge of “publicly disseminating misleading information,” a controversial offense introduced in 2022 and often criticized by press freedom advocates. However, it convicted him of “insulting the state’s judicial organs,” sentencing him to 5 months in prison and deferring the announcement of the verdict, meaning the sentence will not be enforced unless a similar offense is committed within a set period.
In his defense statement, Şardan said he had simply carried out journalistic work. “There is nothing left to say; this is the fifth hearing. What has happened since the day I was detained and the state of the judiciary are clear. I wrote about a report submitted to the Presidency. I practiced journalism,” he said, requesting acquittal.
Immediately after the verdict, the court proceeded—without leaving the courtroom—to hear a second case against Şardan, stemming from another article titled “Scandal of a ‘forbidden affair’ in the gendarmerie.” In that case, he faced charges of “publicly insulting the state’s military or law enforcement organization.”
Şardan again defended his reporting, arguing that it was the conduct of personnel, not his writing, that brought disrepute. “It is not me who is degrading institutions, but their personnel. The case file contains highly inappropriate behavior by staff. I felt ashamed while writing about it,” he said, adding that he was being questioned for exposing actions that had gone unaddressed.
The court acquitted him in the second case, ruling that the legal elements of the alleged offense were not met.
Şardan had been detained on Nov. 1 over the MİT report article and later arrested on charges of spreading misleading information. He was first held in Ankara’s Sincan prison before being transferred to Silivri prison in Istanbul. He was released on Nov. 6 under a travel ban.
Following his release, Şardan said he stood by his reporting, stating: “I only did journalism and tried to inform the public.”
