22 November 2024
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an ex officio investigation (i.e., initiated without a formal complaint) against journalist İsmail Saymaz on the charge of “publicly disseminating misleading information” under Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code. The investigation concerns remarks made by Saymaz on the “Rota” program broadcast on Halk TV on 21 November 2024, in which he claimed that President Erdoğan showed MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli certain footage related to MHP MPs. The allegation was denied the same day by the Directorate of Communications’ Center for Fighting Disinformation.
