The Press Bureau of the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has issued a new indictment against Deniz Yücel, the former Turkey correspondent of the Germany-based Die Welt newspaper. Deniz Yücel faces charges for writing about President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the headline “Der Putschist” (The Putschist) in Welt am Sonntag, the Sunday supplement of the newspaper, on November 6, 2016.
The court case filed against Die Welt reporter Deniz Yücel for “insulting the President” has been merged with the file of the case where he is standing trial on charge of “publicly degrading the state.”
Charged with “insulting the President of the Republic” and standing trial as per the Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Deniz Yücel’s first hearing expected to be held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on July 1 could not be held as the judge was on leave. The date of the next hearing will be set at a later date (July 1).
Deniz Yücel, who lives in Germany, did not attend the hearing on November 25, 2021. Lawyer Veysel Ok requested that the court issue a request for letters rogatory so that Yücel’s defense could be taken abroad. Following the prosecutor’s opinion, the court ruled that a request for letters rogatory should be issued. The next hearing will be held on April 12, 2022 (November 25).
At the hearing held on April 12, 2022, it was ruled that the response to the letters rogatory sent to Germany to take the defense of Yücel should be awaited. The next hearing will be held on September 29 (April 12).
At the hearing held on September 29, 2022, the lawyers of Yücel who made their defense requested an immediate acquittal for their client, indicating that the joke cited as criminal evidence and the expression allegedly violating the Article No. 299 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) should be considered within freedom of expression and that the elements of the offense charged did not arise. The prosecutor’s office, in its opinion, stated that it should be awaited till the rectification of the deficiencies was ensured. The court did not rule for an immediate acquittal and ruled that the return of the letters rogatory should be awaited. The next hearing will be held on January 24, 2023 (September 29).
