25.02.2025 21:11
An indictment has been prepared against Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Özden Kaboğlu and 11 suspects on the grounds that they described terrorists as journalists and negatively affected public trust in state institutions. The suspects are facing a demand for up to 12 years in prison for the charges of "propagating terrorist organization propaganda through the press" and "publicly disseminating misleading information to the public."
The indictment has been prepared against 11 suspects, including the President of the Istanbul Bar Association, İbrahim Özden Kaboğlu, with a request for up to 12 years in prison. The investigation regarding the statement made on December 21, 2024, on the social media account of the Istanbul Bar Association about the terrorists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were neutralized in the conflict, 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 listed as 'suspects'.
"THEY DESCRIBED THE TERRORISTS AS JOURNALISTS"
In the prepared indictment, it was noted that Istanbul Bar Association President İbrahim Özden Kaboğlu, Vice President Rukiye Leyla Süren, Bar Association Secretary General Hürrem Sönmez, Bar Association Treasurer Ahmet Ergin, and Board Members 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 the terrorists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were neutralized in the conflict, and that the words used in the statement described the terrorists as journalists and evaluated this as a war crime.
"THEY TRIED TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE TRUST IN STATE INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANS"
It was stated that the expressions used by the suspects in the relevant statement aimed to mislead the public with false information regarding the internal and external security of the country and the public order, concerning the fight against terrorism, which is closely monitored by the public, and that they attempted to create a perception by misleading the public about the members of the terrorist organization, who are presented as journalists, namely Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, and to negatively affect the trust in state institutions and organs. It was also mentioned that actions were taken with the aim of creating concern, fear, or panic among the public, and considering the content of the shares and the number of views of the shares, the act was deemed capable of disturbing public peace.
REQUEST FOR UP TO 12 YEARS IN PRISON
In the prepared indictment, it was requested that the 11 suspects be sentenced to 3 to 12 years in prison for the crimes of 'propagating a terrorist organization through the press' and 'publicly disseminating misleading information to the public through the press'.