A lawsuit was filed against Cumhuriyet Editorial Coordinator Serkan Ozan, Managing Editor Olcay Büyüktaş Akça, Internet Managing News Director Ozan Yurtoğlu and reporter Hazal Ocak on charges of “insult” and “libel” upon the criminal complaint of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son Bilal Erdoğan due to the news reports titled “The lucky friend of Bilal Erdoğan” and “The friend is tender tycoon”. 

The indictment has been accepted by the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. At the hearing held on October 12, 2021, the court board adjourned the hearing until a later date (October 12). 

At the hearing held on February 7, 2022, the court gave time to the defendants’ lawyers to make written statements as to the accusations. The next hearing will be held on June 7 (February 7). 

At the hearing held on June 7, the prosecutor repeated the opinion as to the accusations and demanded that the defendants be penalized. Bilal Erdoğan’s lawyer also stated that they agreed with the opinion and demanded penalization. The court ruled the deficiencies should be rectified. The next hearing will be held on November 8 (7 June).

At the hearing held on November 8, 2022, the court concluded that the journalists had committed the offenses charged and ruled that the journalists should pay a judicial fine of 2,180 TRY each (November 8).