A compensation lawsuit requesting 1 million Turkish Lira (TRY) was filed against the grant holder of Cumhuriyet newspaper and chair of the Cumhuriyet Foundation, Alev Coşkun and reporter Hazal Ocak by the chairperson of the executive board of Cengiz Company Mehmet Cengiz due to news article, entitled “Boğaz manzaralı lüks müştemilat (A luxury outbuilding with a Bosphorus view)” published on October 6, 2019, in Cumhuriyet newspaper as it allegedly caused “irreparable damages in terms of his credibility and reputation”.
Alev Coşkun ve Hazal Ocak will be standing on trial at İstanbul Anatolian 14th Civil Court of First Instance on January 8 (18 November)
While Hazal Ocak attended the first hearing on January 8, Alev Coşkun did not attend. The head of the court decided that the parties should be given two weeks to indicate their documents, objections and witnesses, if any, and write down for them if there is any evidence to collect. The next hearing was adjourned until January (8 January).
On January 23, in its interim ruling, the court ruled to hear witnesses as requested by Hazal Ocak’s lawyer and adjourned the lawsuit until 4 March.
At the hearing held on March 4, the court decided to give defendants two weeks to file a statement against all witness statements. The court also ruled that the files of lawsuits filed at the Istanbul 8th Civil Court of First Instance and the 9th Administrative Court of Istanbul regarding the subject area upon the request of the lawyer of Hazal Ocak (March 4).
Lawyers of Cumhuriyet Newspaper and Cengiz Holding did not attend the hearing to be held on June 17, demanding to be excused due to the coronavirus pandemic. The court accepted the excuses of both parties, and examined the file. The trial was adjourned until 4 November (17 June).
At the hearing held on November 4, 2020, it was seen that the İstanbul 9th Administrative Court had replied to the request of Hazal Ocak’s attorney for the case files regarding the subject area. The court will reexamine the file and the next hearing will be held on January 20, 2021 (November 4).
The court has adjourned the trial until January 26 to hand down the ruling (January 20).
At the hearing held on January 26, the court board gave a decision of non-suit and dismissed the lawsuit for damages (January 26).
