Journalist Barış Pehlivan detained over 'expert witness' investigation

Following allegations made by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu regarding expert witness S. B. during his press conference titled "The Biggest Turnip," Barış Pehlivan contacted the expert in question and granted him a right of reply.

Following the broadcast of this conversation, an investigation was launched into Barış Pehlivan and Halk TV.

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued the following statement:

"Regarding the matter, an investigation has been initiated against Barış Pehlivan, as well as the relevant presenter and officials of the Halk TV media outlet, for the crimes of 'Eavesdropping and Recording Private Conversations' (Turkish Penal Code Art. 133/3) and 'Attempting to Influence an Expert Witness' (Turkish Penal Code Art. 277), due to the unauthorized recording and disclosure of a phone conversation held with an expert witness on a Halk TV broadcast today, as well as the disclosure of the expert's name in a manner that targets them and the use of remarks intended to influence the course of the judicial process."

SPOKE BEFORE BEING DETAINED

Before being detained, Barış Pehlivan made the following statement to Halk TV cameras:

"I have been a journalist for 22 years; I have been the subject of more than 100 investigations and over 50 lawsuits. During the AKP government, I have seen the inside of a prison 5 times in 22 years.

Throughout my entire journalistic career, I have fought as a journalist for the establishment of a fair order, for justice to prevail, and for justice to be the religion of this state. I fought not only for myself but for everyone's children and everyone's grandchildren.

Now it is clear that I am about to pay the price for the struggle I waged to establish a fair order in this country once again. It is clear that they are trying to show me the inside of a prison for the 6th time in my 22-year journalistic career.

Think about it: Halk TV, we, were the first to extend a microphone to an expert witness targeted by the IMM Mayor, who manages 16 million people in Turkey, and we shared with the public that he denied all of Ekrem İmamoğlu's allegations. Just like the pro-government Yenişafak newspaper does today, but we are being taken on the road to prison, we are being taken on the road to handcuffs.

My only concern was to give the person at the center of the allegations a right of reply, to ask him what he had to say about these claims. But it is clear that there are police officers in front of the building now, and they have come to take me."