Lawsuit against Barış Pehlivan from a prosecutor who is a former AKP district head once linked to FETÖ

Cumhuriyet columnist Barış Terkoğlu announced that an indictment has been prepared against his colleague Barış Pehlivan, seeking up to 9 years in prison.

According to Terkoğlu, the reason for the indictment is a complaint filed by a prosecutor serving at the Kilis Courthouse.

It was stated that the prosecutor in question had shot a person with a firearm during a traffic dispute while serving as the AKP Şehitkamil (Gaziantep) District head in the past, and that his membership in an association allegedly linked to 'FETÖ' had also been revealed.

Terkoğlu reported that following these developments, Pehlivan contacted the prosecutor by phone for journalistic purposes, after which the prosecutor filed a complaint against Pehlivan on charges of "unlawfully obtaining or disseminating personal data."

In his column titled "The robe that covers up the crime", Terkoğlu wrote the following:

"Let me explain it this way...

H.Ç. is a prosecutor currently serving at the Kilis Courthouse. However, he also has other characteristics that made him newsworthy.

One, he is the former AKP Şehitkamil district head.

Two, he shot a man with a firearm during a traffic dispute while he was district head.

Three, his membership in the Defense, Democracy and Law Association—which was revealed to have been used by FETÖ to place judge and prosecutor candidates into the judiciary and was closed by decree-law after July 15—continued until March 31, 2016.

Four; as a public prosecutor, he shared messages on social media praising the government and insulting the opposition.

Barış Pehlivan wrote about this incident in our newspaper on October 7, 2022, based on concrete facts. Of course, it was newsworthy. After all, a prosecutor who had shot a man, held membership in a FETÖ judicial association, and was a former district head was, in journalistic terms, exactly the kind of 'man bites dog' story; it was extraordinary. At the very least, it should have been considered as such. After all, the mechanism that eliminated judicial candidates who had achieved top national rankings had opened its doors to H.Ç.

Moreover...

Pehlivan did even more. He called Prosecutor H.Ç. and asked him about all four events. He included his answers in writing.

If you are wondering...

He claimed that the man he argued with in traffic had attacked him with a crowbar, which is why he shot him. He explained that because the AKP and FETÖ were, in his own words, 'arm in arm' in the past, the lawyers in the party were collectively made members of the FETÖ association and that he could not manage to leave. He admitted to being a former AKP district head and to the social media messages, claiming he was trying to be objective.

Then...

It is clear that both Pehlivan's article and the answers he provided stirred things up. 18 days after the article, he filed a complaint against Pehlivan.

No, this time there is no 'he published a voice recording' accusation. There is no 'he threatened or blackmailed' either. The accusation in the indictment is: 'Publicly disclosing conversations between individuals by taking advantage of the convenience provided by a certain profession and art, and unlawfully obtaining or disseminating personal data by taking advantage of the convenience provided by a certain profession and art.'

The indictment even acknowledges that what Pehlivan wrote was true. However, he was accused as follows:

'It is observed that the conversation between the complainant and the suspect regarding association membership and criminal record was published by unlawfully accessing the complainant's GSM number, and that the GSM number, association membership, and criminal record are of the nature of personal data...'

Finding a prosecutor's phone number and calling him, writing about his criminal record that had already appeared in the news at the time, and mentioning his membership in a FETÖ association have been counted as a violation of personal data! We have also learned that when it comes to the judiciary, FETÖ affiliation is 'none of your business'! And that when you are a prosecutor, you have the right to say, 'What is it to you that I am a member of a FETÖ association!'

Oh, my dear, do not say that nothing will come of the lawsuit...

Prosecutor H.Ç. did not file his complaint with the prosecutor's office at the address where Cumhuriyet is located. He filed it at the Kilis Courthouse where he works. The prosecutor who is his friend at the courthouse, despite objections, said 'I am the authorized one' and prepared an indictment against Pehlivan. The judge, in front of whose office he frequently passes, began the trial. And at the hearing at the Kilis 1st Criminal Court of First Instance on April 11, the other prosecutor, who is also his friend, requested a sentence of up to 9 years. The judge in Kilis was just about to make a decision when, upon the lawyers' request for more time, he postponed it to next Wednesday. To expect justice from this theater where wolves unite to judge a lamb would be naive, if not foolish!"

News Source: 12punto