A lawsuit has been filed against journalists Canan Coşkun, Ali Açar and Can Uğur, who reported on the investigation launched into the death of Berkin Elvan, who lost his life at the age of 15 after being shot with a tear gas canister during Gezi Park protests in İstanbul in 2013.
Can Uğur from daily BirGün, Canan Coşkun and Ali Açar have been charged with “marking a counterterrorism official as a target” as per the Article 6* of the Anti-Terror Law (TMK).
The indictment filed against the journalists has alleged that, by disclosing the identity of one of the suspect police officers in Berkin Elvan investigation, they have caused the officer to become a target for leftist organizations.
The trial will begin at the İstanbul 34th Heavy Penal Court on April 9, 2020.
The first hearing, scheduled on 9 April, was adjourned until 17 September 2020 (9 April).
At the hearing held on September 19, Canan Coşkun and Ali Açar presented their initial defenses and rejected the accusations. The court adjourned the hearing until 10 November in order to take the statement of Ali Açar who did not attend the hearing (17 September).
At the hearing held on November 10, 2020, Coşkun and Açar were present in the courtroom while Uğur could not attend the hearing as he was in İzmir. The attorneys of the journalists stated that the name of F.D. was not mentioned in the news report in question and he was not aggrieved by the offense charged. The attorneys demanded that F.D. no longer be a plaintiff in the case. The court board has ruled that the related person shall no longer be a plaintiff. The next hearing will be held on February 23, 2021 (November 10).
At the hearing held on February 23, the attorneys indicated that they did not have anything to say at that stage. The hearing has been adjourned to rectify the deficiencies. The next hearing will be held on June 8 (February 23).
At the hearing held on June 8, 2021, the prosecutor presented the opinion as to the accusations and demanded that Canan Coşkun, Ali Açar and Can Uğur be penalized, saying, “It is understood that they committed the offense charged due to the news they had reported.” The court board gave time to the journalists to make defense as to the accusations. The next hearing will be held on October 7 (June 8).
Journalists Coşkun, Açar and Uğur have been acquitted (October 7).
