MEDIA MONITORING DATABASE
Berna Kirşin – investigation for “provoking the public to hatred and hostility”
RELATED PERSON OR INSTITUTION
Berna Kirşin
CITY
İstanbul
YEAR OF INTERFERENCE
2021
LAST UPDATED
15/10/2021
TYPE OF STATEMENT
Political
MEDIUM
Internet
News Agency
THE TITLE OF WHOSE RIGHT IS INTERFERED
Journalist
RIGHTS GUARANTEED UNDER THE RIGHT OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Right to Impart Information and Ideas
TYPE OF INTERFERENCE
Judicial Interference
Public Prosecution Offices
Opening a criminal investigation

An investigation was launched against Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Berna Kirşin upon the report of the Ankara Department of Fighting Cyber Crimes. Investigated by the İstanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, the journalist was facing the charge of “provoking the public to hatred and hostility” (Turkish Penal Code – TCK Article 216) over her news reports “Attack on Kurdish family in Ankara” and “Police raid on the attacked Kurdish family” published on the politikhaber.org website on July 21 as well as her social media posts (July 2021). 

On October 15, 2021, the prosecutor’s office concluded that there was “no ground for prosecution” against Kirşin (October 15).