March 14, 2025
Cengiz Holding filed a collective criminal complaint against journalists working for the daily Sözcü and its online edition over a total of 173 reports and opinion columns published between October 9, 2024, and February 3, 2025. The complainant in the case is the company’s owner, Mehmet Cengiz. The investigation concerns Sözcü’s reporting on public tenders won by the conglomerate as well as its mining activities in the Kaz Mountains, which triggered public protests.
Of the disputed content, 107 appeared in the print edition and 67 on the website. The contested coverage also included speeches and statements made by members of parliament in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
The journalists targeted in the complaint are listed as follows:
Columnists: Necati Doğru, Saygı Öztürk, Emin Özgönül, Güney Öztürk, Sultan Uçar, and Deniz Zeyrek (former columnist)
Editors: Esra Alus, Bahar Kurşun, Cemil Kızıltürk, Elif Tokbay
Reporters: Başak Kaya, Deniz Ayhan, Yaşar Anter, Veli Toprak, Zekeriya Albayrak, Ali Macit, Gökmen Ulu, Erdoğan Süzer, Yavuz Alatan, Cem Yıldırım, Evren Demirdaş, Özgür Cebe, and Tarık Işık (former reporter)
The accusations are based on the following provisions of the Turkish Penal Code: Article 123 (disturbing the peace and tranquility of individuals), Article 214 (incitement to disobey the law), Article 217/A (public dissemination of misleading information), Article 216 (incitement to hatred and hostility), and Articles 125–267 (defamation and slander).
