18 December 2024
The Elazığ Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office closed the case against Sözcü newspaper reporter Evren Demirdaş, who had been investigated for reporting on a road construction tender. The decision stated that “freedom of expression is one of the main elements forming the foundation of a democratic society.” On 4 November, Demirdaş reported on a road tender conducted by the Elazığ Provincial Special Administration through a negotiated procedure, under the headline “Governor awarded million-lira tender through negotiation citing ‘security’ concerns.” Following the report, the Provincial Special Administration filed a complaint accusing Demirdaş of “publicly disseminating misleading information.” The Prosecutor’s Office emphasized that, under the Constitution, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, freedom of expression and press freedom hold special importance and are “one of the essential conditions for the progress of society and the development of the individual.” It found that the report was based on concrete facts and fell within “the scope of freedom of expression and press freedom.”
