Journalist Ilıcak Convicted again for Criticism of Judge

Sabah newspaper writer Nazlı Ilıcak was sentenced to the payment of TL 5,000 (€ 2,500) in compensation because she had described Judge Osman Kaçmaz as "officious". In the same context, the journalist was sentenced in a previous prosecution.

In the hearing on 8 June, the 2^nd Criminal Court of Sincan (west of Ankara) found Ilıcak and Sabah daily owner Ahmet Çalık guilty of "attacking personal rights" in the article from 25 May 2009 entitled "The President's Immunity". Court President Sevgi Boyacı decreed for the monetary fine.

Journalist Association and Media Association condemned prison sentence

The Istanbul 2^nd Criminal Court of First Instance had previously sentenced Ilıcak to imprisonment of eleven months and 20 days charged with insulting Kaçmaz via the media predicated on the same article. The sentence was postponed.

The judicial decision was the cause for criticism voiced by professional press organizations such as the Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) and the Media Association.

Judge Kaçmaz had initially demanded a compensation of TL 30,000 (€ 15,000) including legal interest. Neither the complainant nor Ilıcak appeared at court for the last hearing. Kaçmaz's lawyer Baykal Doğan reiterated his previous statements and requested the approval of the court.

Defence lawyer Banu Yılmaz demanded to obtain a different file from the Sincan 1^st Criminal Court of First Instance which includes a report issued by the Prime Ministry Inspection Board but Doğan objected the claim.

Doğan stated, "We were not informed about an investigation having been launched on the date the article was written. The investigation of the Inspection Board is confidential. If the defendant wrote an article concerned with an issue subject to a confidential investigation, it should be clarified how this information was obtained. The article subject of our case is not related to an incident investigated by the Inspection Board".

Judge Kaçmaz intended to sue President Abdullah Gül in the context of an investigation into "lost millions", a corruption case in the 1990s. He was criticized after he overruled the decision of the Ankara Public Prosecution to dismiss procedures.

Author Behramoğlu sued for criticism of AKP

Poet and author Ataol Behramoğlu stands trial because he criticized the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Behramoğlu had voiced his criticism when he was a guest of the program "Neutral Zone" broadcasted by CNN Türk.

He is facing a compensation claim of TL 20,000 (€ 10,000) at the Ankara 15^th Criminal Court of First Instance. The court decided to request a recording of the program on CD from the Radio and Television Supreme Board (RTÜK) and to have the file reviewed by an expert. The case was continued yesterday (9 June).

Related to the AKP elections Behramoğlu said, "I do not say that AKP will not hold the elections. Yet, in my opinion they did everything, visible and invisible, to prevent elections by illegal and anti-democratic means". (EÖ/VK)