Prison sentence for journalist Merdan Yanardağ

The Istanbul 30th Criminal Court of First Instance has sentenced TELE1 Editor-in-Chief Merdan Yanardağ to 1 year and 3 months in prison on charges of "publicly degrading the military or security organization of the state."

According to journalist Furkan Karabay, the court, which held 2 hearings in 7 days, did not grant a suspension of the sentence.

Karabay reported the following:

"Merdan Yanardağ spoke on the TELE1 YouTube account on February 5, 2024.

The Gendarmerie General Command filed a criminal complaint following Yanardağ's remarks.

A lawsuit was filed against Yanardağ for 'publicly degrading the military or security organization of the state' due to his statements in a video titled 'To what point has the AKP's political ethics brought Turkey?'"

In the broadcast that led to the lawsuit, Yanardağ had said the following:

“…It was held, it was held under unfair conditions, I am sure of that. Now, I am evaluating the fraud as an allegation. We saw the black propaganda, we saw the lies, and we saw the slander, as well as the fraud with edited videos. Let's call it an allegation, but we are sure that these elections were held under unfair, antidemocratic conditions. You mobilized state power; in some places, gendarmes distributed brochures. They distributed the AKP government's brochures. False brochures claiming that the CHP was collaborating with the PKK. Moreover, there are Gendarmerie commanders who say this, they say they are ashamed. Anyway, it is such an allegation. Let's assume nothing happened, professor; as a result, this decision passed through the Supreme Election Council. Yes, 48 percent to 52 percent. The difference is 2 percent. Let's accept the 2 percent result, Mr. Erdoğan, where do you put the 48 percent? Are the 48 percent not citizens of the Republic of Turkey, are they not a part of the national will, go ahead, professor…”

News Source: 12punto