Verdict in Babala TV 'dam burst' news case: Oğuzhan Uğur acquitted

A verdict has been reached in the trial regarding the claim that a "dam burst in Hatay," which circulated on social media following the February 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş. At the end of the trial, an acquittal was issued for Oğuzhan Uğur. The court ruled that the legal fees be covered by the treasury.

2.5-YEAR TRIAL PROCESS CONCLUDED

The trial, opened on the grounds that the claim in question was spread via Babala TV, founded by Oğuzhan Uğur, lasted approximately 2.5 years. During the trial process, the prosecution submitted an opinion requesting the punishment of the defendants. However, the court issued an acquittal within the scope of the file. Hasret Yıldırım, who was a complainant in the case, announced that they would take the decision to the appellate court.

CLAIMS THAT "AID EFFORTS WERE DISRUPTED"

The complainants alleged that the post spread on social media reached large audiences in a short time, causing panic in the region and disrupting aid activities in Hatay for approximately 3.5 hours. The process was brought to the judiciary with the complaints of 8 people.

APPEAL APPLICATION WILL BE FILED

Making a statement after the decision, Hasret Yıldırım stated that they would take the case to a higher court. Arguing that unverified information spread during the earthquake period had serious consequences, Yıldırım claimed that the aid organization was negatively affected by this process. He also alleged that some posts created a false perception regarding public institutions.

Speaking to İHA, Hasret Yıldırım said, "As you know, during the February 6 Kahramanmaraş earthquake, which went down in history as the "disaster of the century," Oğuzhan Uğur’s Babala TV shared a report via Hatay saying "the dam burst, the dam cracked." As this news spread like a rumor, it reached a point where it blocked aid activities in Hatay for 3.5 hours. Afterward, a court process began in Turkey with 8 people filing complaints.

In the first hearing of this court, Oğuzhan Uğur claimed that they could not identify this person, and they could not even identify who deleted it. We stood up in court at that time and said; 'My brother, the one who posted it is unknown, the one who deleted it is unknown; then ghosts must have posted this tweet. I feel like I am in the Babala TV studio right now, not in a courtroom.' The process lasted a total of 2.5 years, and at the end of 2.5 years, Oğuzhan Uğur and his 2 friends were acquitted. And there is such a situation; the prosecutor who gave the opinion regarding this matter requested the heaviest punishment.

Currently, the prosecutor has the right to appeal. Even if the prosecutor does not appeal, since we are participating complainants, we will definitely take this case to the appellate court. Furthermore, the lawyer representing Oğuzhan Uğur in court submitted petitions from the first hearing to the last, requesting that the participating complainants be removed from the case.

We said, 'my brother, you didn't do anything wrong, look, you were acquitted. Why are you bothered by these people participating in this case as complainants?' And perhaps the most painful part of the matter is that because Oğuzhan Uğur was acquitted, the court decision states that the 45 thousand liras he will pay to his lawyer are charged to the treasury," he said.

Hasret Yıldırım continued as follows:

"In fact, during the period when this rumor was spreading, a video was shared from the Babala TV office. Of course, this was an inadvertent video; while the person on the phone was talking about AFAD, one of the people in this team said something like 'What is the need for AFAD, we are here,' and this made the news during that period. This issue is even in the court's indictment. Oğuzhan Uğur, who are you that your team and your men put themselves in the place of the state? You are a comedy show host."

News Source: İHA