Up to 12 years in prison sought for Istanbul Bar Association President: Indictment prepared
An indictment has been prepared seeking up to 12 years in prison for 11 suspects, including Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Özden Kaboğlu.
İHA
The investigation into a statement made on the Istanbul Bar Association's social media account on December 21, 2024, regarding terrorists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were neutralized in a clash, has been completed.
In the indictment prepared by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 11 individuals, including Bar Association President İbrahim Özden Kaboğlu, were named as 'suspects'.
"TERRORISTS WERE DESCRIBED AS JOURNALISTS"
The indictment states that Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Özden Kaboğlu, Vice President Rukiye Leyla Süren, General Secretary Hürrem Sönmez, Treasurer Ahmet Ergin, and Board Member lawyers Metin İriz, Mehmedali Barış Beşli, Yelda Koçak Urfa, Fırat Epözdemir, Ezgi Şahin Yalvarıcı, Ekim Bilen Selimoğlu, and Bengisu Kadı Çavdar shared a written statement on their social media account regarding terrorists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were neutralized in a clash, and that in the words used in the statement, they described the terrorists as journalists and characterized the incident as a war crime.
ATTEMPTING TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT TRUST IN STATE INSTITUTIONS
It was stated that through the expressions used in the aforementioned statement, the suspects attempted to create a perception by misleading the public with false information regarding the country's internal and external security and public order, claiming that a war crime was committed by state institutions and bodies against Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin—who were members of a terrorist organization but were presented as journalists—and that they attempted to negatively affect the trust in state institutions and bodies. It was further noted that they acted with the intent to create anxiety, fear, or panic among the public, and that considering the content of the posts and the number of views, the act was capable of disturbing public peace.
UP TO 12 YEARS IN PRISON SOUGHT
The indictment requests prison sentences ranging from 3 to 12 years for each of the 11 suspects on charges of 'making propaganda for a terrorist organization through the press' and 'publicly disseminating misleading information to the public through the press'.