Journalist Ali Ergin Demirhan, the editorial board member and editor of sendika.org news website, has been sentenced to pay a judicial fine of 7 thousand lira on charge "insulting the President."

 

While the journalist was first charged with "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" as per the Article 7/2 of the Anti-Terror Law (TMK) over the news reports published on sendika.org from January 2018 to March 2018, he has been given a fine on charge of "insulting the President" as per the Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

 

Ali Ergin Demirhan had his third and final hearing at the İstanbul 24th Heavy Penal Court today (March 17). Both Demirhan and his attorneys were present in the courtroom. Demirhan made his statement as to the prosecutor's final opinion as to the accusations and briefly said:

 

"The charge was propagandizing for a terrorist organization; I have been acquitted of the offense charged, but then, I was demanded to be penalized for insulting the President. The related news reports fall within the scope of freedom of expression. Insult is out of the question."

 

Saying that "the case was filed according to the political conjuncture", Demirhan demanded his acquittal of the offense charged.

 

Handing down its ruling, the court board has ruled that journalist Ali Ergin Demirhan shall be sentenced to pay a judicial fine of 7 thousand lira (approx. 900 USD) on charge of "insulting the President."

 

Sharing a message on his Twitter account after the hearing, Demirhan has noted that the court case was filed on charges of "membership of a terrorist organization" and "propagandizing for a terrorist organization", adding that "the court case was resumed, saying, 'If there are none of these, let's say insulting the President.' They had to give a sentence."