Journalist Furkan Karabay, upon the complaint of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s former lawyer Mustafa Doğan İnal, was charged with “public insult” (TPC 125) and “slander” (TPC 267) for his news article titled “Why did Muhammed Yakut threaten Erdoğan’s lawyer?” published on Gerçek Gündem news website on April 19, 2023. An indictment was issued in the armed attack with FETÖ Exchange allegations”, he is on trial at Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on charges of “public insult” (TCK 125) and “slander” (TCK 267).

At the first hearing of the trial held on November 16, the lawyer of the complainant Mustafa Doğan İnal stated that his complaints continued and requested to participate in the trial. The court accepted the participation request. The next hearing is scheduled for February 29 (November 16).

The third hearing in the trial of journalist Furkan Karabay on the charge of repeated and public “insult” and “defamation” over a complaint filed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s former lawyer Mustafa Doğan İnal, was held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 6 June 2024. The court sentenced Karabay to 1 year and 15 days of imprisonment for the crime of “defamation.” The court also ruled to issue no verdict for the charge of “insult” as a guilty verdict had been issued for the charge of “defamation,” which is a more severe offense (June 6).