The Criminal Court of First Instance of Gevaş district of Van, with the decision dated 23 February 2018, sentenced journalists Bedran Babat ve Mustafa Ece to 5 months of imprisonment for “publicly degrading the military or security organisations” due to the news articled, titled “Gevaş Emniyeti seçmenleri fişliyor (Gevaş Police department is tagging voters)” published on June 2, 2015. The prison sentences were deferred.
Chair of DİHA news agency Zekeriya Gözüpek and journalist Ferhat Çelik were acquitted of the same charge.