Lawsuit filed against Cumhuriyet reporter following LGS scandal report

In a report published by Cumhuriyet on June 17, 2025, titled "Was the fate of 1 million students toyed with? Allegations that LGS questions were shared in a WhatsApp group before the exam ended," claims were raised that questions and answers were shared in a WhatsApp group during the LGS exam.

The report conveyed concerns regarding exam security and included the official statements of the Ministry of National Education. Minister Yusuf Tekin acknowledged the allegations that the questions were shared through "unofficial channels" before the designated time; however, he argued that this did not affect the integrity of the exam to a significant extent.

ACCUSATIONS FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE

In the indictment prepared upon the complaint of the Ministry of National Education, it was claimed that Cumhuriyet reporter Can Uğur "created public anxiety with information contrary to the truth" in his report.

The prosecutor's office evaluated Uğur's actions under the scope of "Publicly Disseminating Misleading Information" in accordance with Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code.

The article in question was recalled in the indictment as follows:

"Any person who publicly disseminates information contrary to the truth regarding the internal and external security, public order, and general health of the country, in a manner capable of disturbing public peace, with the sole intent of creating anxiety, fear, or panic among the public, shall be sentenced to imprisonment from one to three years."

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

A scandalous allegation was raised regarding the LGS held on June 15, claiming that questions and answers were shared in a WhatsApp group while the exam was still ongoing.

In a statement attempting to refute our newspaper's report that LGS exam questions were shared in a WhatsApp group while the exam was in progress, the Ministry of National Education (MEB) admitted that it had not followed its own directive.

The MEB statement said, "Question booklets are left at schools for students/parents who wish to take them." However, it was observed that the MEB's directive clearly stated that exam booklets must be collected by officials at the schools.

It was revealed that the person who shared the questions in the WhatsApp group was a "doner kebab shop worker."

Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin also confirmed the scandal uncovered by Cumhuriyet newspaper regarding the LGS questions being shared in a WhatsApp group before the exam ended. Stating, "The issue you mentioned is correct," Tekin said, "They were released before the time we desired." Tekin also added, "We have filed a criminal complaint regarding the person who made that broadcast."

Following our persistent follow-up reporting, the MEB announced that an investigation had been launched into 29 people. The Ministry of National Education's General Manager of Information Processing, Özgür Türk, was dismissed from his post.

News Source: 12punto