Prison sentence for Mehmet Baransu upheld

The 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation has reviewed the prison sentence decision handed down by the Mersin 2nd High Criminal Court regarding Mehmet Baransu. 

At the end of the appeal process, the conviction of Baransu, who was sentenced to 13 years and 6 months in prison by the local court on July 19, 2020, for "membership in an armed terrorist organization," was upheld.

Mehmet Baransu, as one of the writers for the shuttered Taraf newspaper, had been tried and found guilty by the court due to his FETÖ/PDY connections. With the upholding of Baransu's sentence by the Court of Cassation, the local court's decision has become final.

BACKGROUND OF THE CASE

An investigation was launched into Mehmet Baransu regarding publications about "genetically modified rice allegedly seized at customs in Mersin Port," and it was determined that FETÖ-affiliated police officers had transmitted information and documents that did not reflect the truth, which they had obtained through illegal activities, to Baransu.

Upon the determination that the purpose of the aforementioned publications was to "put the government of the Republic of Turkey in a difficult position in the public eye within the scope of FETÖ's activities," a public lawsuit was filed against Baransu at the Mersin 2nd High Criminal Court.

Baransu had been sentenced to a total of 19 years and 6 months in prison, including 2 years for "violating confidentiality," 4 years for "disclosing prohibited information," and 13 years and 6 months for "membership in an armed terrorist organization."

The 2nd Criminal Chamber of the Adana Regional Court of Justice had found the total 6-year prison sentence given to Baransu for "violating confidentiality" and "disclosing prohibited information" to be in accordance with the law in 2022.

HE WAS ALSO ONE OF THE NAMES IN THE MATCH-FIXING CONSPIRACY

Mehmet Baransu also served as the media arm of FETÖ at Taraf newspaper during the July 3 process. It was stated that Baransu was one of the figures who set up the conspiracy in FETÖ's "match-fixing in football" investigation. 

WHO IS MEHMET BARANSU?

Mehmet Baransu was arrested within the scope of an investigation launched on the allegation that he produced documents and manipulated evidence in a way that targeted the Turkish Armed Forces in the Balyoz (Sledgehammer) case. Baransu, who was tried in the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization and Parallel State Structure cases, received a total of 19 years and 6 months in prison for 3 separate crimes, including membership in an armed terrorist organization.

 Furthermore, he received a 17-year-and-1-month prison sentence in another case where he was tried for disclosing state secrets, as he had illegally obtained and published documents and information belonging to the National Security Council and the National Intelligence Organization.