Case against journalist Barış Pehlivan dismissed

Journalist Barış Pehlivan appeared before the judge today.

The hearing for journalist Barış Pehlivan, who is being held at Maltepe Open Prison and was denied the right to supervised release, was held today at the Çağlayan Courthouse.

RELEASED

Pehlivan's right to supervised release had been revoked following a lawsuit filed by Court of Cassation member Ömer Faruk Aydıner over his article titled "A Stomach-Turning Story" published on November 30, 2022.

In recent days, Ömer Faruk Aydıner had notified the court through his lawyer that he was withdrawing his complaint. Following Aydıner's withdrawal of the complaint, the path to Pehlivan's release was opened.

The court panel dismissed the case.

Pehlivan's lawyer, Hüseyin Ersöz, stated in a post on his social media account, "We will request a Supervised Release decision."

ERSÖZ'S STATEMENT ON SUPERVISED RELEASE

Ersöz stated the following:

A dismissal decision was issued in the case against journalist Barış Pehlivan. Freedom is one step away... Tomorrow, we will request a Supervised Release decision with the petition we will submit to the Anatolian Execution Judgeship. In accordance with the decision of the Execution Judgeship, journalist Barış Pehlivan will be released from prison. #BarışınHakkı #PressFreedom #FreedomOfExpression"

FIRST STATEMENT FROM PEHLİVAN

Pehlivan's first statement upon leaving the courtroom is as follows:

"A case that should have ended months ago has now ended. It is now with the Execution Judgeship. From today on, I should regain my freedom. This case shows the poor state of justice in Turkey. However, journalists continue to practice this profession under great pressure."