According to Ender İmrek’s Twitter post, the Bakırköy Prosecutor’s Office Special Crimes Bureau has launched an investigation against Ender İmrek, a columnist for daily Evrensel, who criticized the lack of firefighting aircraft by referring to the wildfires in Turkey in his article dated July 30, 2021. The columnist has been charged with “insulting the President of the Republic” and “provoking the public to hatred and hostility” (December 15).
The investigation against İmrek turned into a court case. İmrek will stand trial for “insulting the President of the Republic” at the İstanbul Bakırköy Criminal Court of First Instance and face 4 years, 8 months in prison. The first hearing will be held on October 18 (April 5).
At the hearing held on October 18, 2022, the court ruled that the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) should be asked whether İmrek was a journalist or not and that the case file should be sent to the prosecutor’s office for the final opinion as to the accusations. The next hearing will be held on January 10, 2023 (October 18).
At the hearing held on January 10, 2023, the prosecutor’s office presented its final opinion as to the accusations and demanded İmrek’s acquittal. The court concluded that the elements of the offense charged were not constituted and ruled that İmrek should be acquitted (January 10).
