Journalist and economist Mustafa Sönmez will be put on trial on charge of “insulting the President of the Republic” on the grounds that on his Twitter account, he called President Erdoğan “the chief of a thief gang” and “piece of dictator” and that he commented on the trial of Turkish-Iranian entrepreneur Reza Zarrab, who was arrested in 2016 for evading the US sanctions on Iran, by saying, “Mr. Zarrab will not be put on trial alone. Halkbank and the Erdoğan government, who gave him this opportunity, will be all defendants. Reza would say that he did not do it on his own.” Sönmez will face 4 years, 8 months in prison on the offense charged and have his first hearing at the İstanbul Anadolu 26th Criminal Court of First Instance on November 3 (September 2).

At the hearing held on November 3, 2020, Mustafa Sönmez reminded the court board that a legal action had been taken against him on the same charge and a decision of non-prosecution had been given. The petition submitted by President Erdoğan’s attorney indicating that he waived from legal action has been added to the case file. The next hearing will be held on March 9, 2021 (November 3).

At the hearing held on March 9, the trial was adjourned until April 13 (March 10).

At the hearing held on April 13, 2021, Sönmez’s attorney requested additional time to make defense as to the Deferment of the Pronouncement of the Verdict. The court accepted the request (April 13).

At the final hearing held on June 23, 2021, Mustafa Sönmez was acquitted of “insulting the President of the Republic” (June 23).