Halk TV Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş, who was arrested as part of the "expert witness" investigation launched into Halk TV, has been in prison for a month.
Journalist Barış Pehlivan had spoken with an expert witness who was part of the expert panel mentioned by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu during a press conference titled "The Big Radish," and the audio recording of this conversation was broadcast on Halk TV.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had launched an investigation on charges of "Eavesdropping and Recording Conversations Between Individuals" and "Attempting to Influence an Expert Witness."
Within the scope of the investigation, journalist Barış Pehlivan, Halk TV Managing Editor Serhan Asker, and program host Seda Selek were detained first, followed by Halk TV Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş and program coordinator Kürşat Oğuz.
Suat Toktaş, who was arrested on January 29 as part of the investigation, has been held in Silivri Prison for 1 month.
REQUEST FOR UP TO 9 YEARS IN PRISON
During this process, the appeal against Toktaş's detention was also rejected.
In the prepared indictment, a prison sentence of up to 9 years was requested for journalists Suat Toktaş, Seda Selek, and Serhan Asker, and up to 14 years for Barış Pehlivan and Kürşad Oğuz, on charges of "Eavesdropping and Recording Conversations Between Individuals" and "Attempting to Influence an Expert Witness."
The first hearing of the case will be held on March 4.
News Source: 12punto
