13.10.2026 13:30
AK Party filed a non-pecuniary damages lawsuit totaling 1,600,000 TL against journalists Şaban Sevinç and Timur Soykan and Zeynel Emre on the grounds that they made statements targeting the party’s corporate reputation. AK Party Secretary General Eyüp Kadir İnan stated that 500,000 TL in compensation was sought from Sevinç, 600,000 from Soykan and BirGün TV, and 500,000 TL from Emre, and announced that they would follow the legal process.
AK Party Secretary General and Izmir MP Eyüp Kadir İnan announced in a statement on his social media account that they had initiated legal proceedings due to statements they believed harmed the party's corporate identity and reputation.
İnan announced that moral compensation lawsuits had been filed against journalist Şaban Sevinç, journalist Timur Soykan and BirGün TV, and New Party Spokesperson Zeynel Emre.
"TOTAL 1 MILLION 600 THOUSAND TL COMPENSATION CLAIM"
Within the scope of the legal process initiated by the AK Party General Secretariat, the requested compensation amounts have also become clear.
Accordingly, 500 thousand TL in moral compensation was sought due to Şaban Sevinç's broadcasts on September 28-30 and October 1 and 8, and 600 thousand TL due to Timur Soykan and BirGün TV's broadcasts on September 26 and October 3 and 10.
Against New Party Spokesperson Zeynel Emre, a moral compensation lawsuit of 500 thousand TL was filed citing his statements on October 12. Thus, the total compensation amount requested under three separate headings reached 1 million 600 thousand TL.
"THERE IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE RIGHT TO CRITICIZE AND UNJUST ACCUSATIONS"
İnan, stating that the AK Party respects freedom of expression and the press, argued that these rights would not legitimize false allegations targeting the party's corporate reputation.
İnan used the following statements in his announcement: "As the AK Party, we continue to resolutely exercise our legal rights against baseless claims, accusations and statements targeting our party's corporate identity, reputation and dignity."
İnan stated that there is a legal distinction between political criticism and damaging a party's reputation through unjust accusations.
"WE WILL FOLLOW THE LEGAL PROCESS TO THE END"
İnan, stating that they consider protecting the party's reputation an institutional responsibility, emphasized that they would follow up on the lawsuits filed.
İnan, who reported that the AK Party will continue to exercise its legal rights against claims and statements it considers unlawful against it, noted that they will continue their political struggle within the framework of law and democracy.
While the judicial process regarding the lawsuits filed continues, there is not yet a court decision on the compensation claims.