Özgür Boğatekin, on June 13, 2017, shared the video of an argument between Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Tunceli MP Alican Önlü and Gendarmerie Sergeant Major S.Ç. on duty at the checkpoint on Tunceli Pülmür Highway from two days ago on Facebook. “The petty officer who argued with HDP’s Alican Önlü has become the Gerger Gendarmerie Commander,” he wrote. This post of Boğatekin has been considered “turning a counterterrorism official into a target.”
It was alleged that Boğatakin “propagandized for a terrorist organization” with the related Facebook posts and, as part of the investigation launched against him within this context, the journalist was detained on March 19, 2018. While Boğatekin was released from detention, an indictment was lodged against him on June 5, 2018.
The trial of Boğatekin began with the first hearing held at the Adıyaman 2nd High Criminal Court on September 26, 2018. At the hearing of the trial on December 10, 2018, Boğatekin was sentenced to 1 year, 6 months, 22 days in prison on charge of “successively propagandizing for a terrorist organization via press.”
His lawyer Hüseyin Boğatekin appealed against this prison sentence.
After the court of appeals reversed this judgement, the trial of Özgür Boğatenkin began again. The first hearing of the retrial was on June 30, 2020.
The second hearing of the retrial was held on October 13, 2020. It was seen that the Presiding Judge and all members of the court board changed. No one attended the hearing.
It was announced that the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office notified that a lawsuit was filed against Boğatekin on charge of “propagandizing for a terrorist organization” and “turning a counterterrorism official into a target.” The court ruled that the court in Tunceli province should be asked whether it had permission for the file there to be combined with the one that was heard by this court.
At the third hearing of the case held on November 19, 2020, it has been ruled that the case file of journalist Özgür Boğatekin in Tunceli shall be combined with this trial. The file will be awaited from Tunceli. The next hearing will be held on December 22 (November 19).
At the hearing held on December 22, 2020, the prosecutor presented his opinion as to the accusations in the retrial of Boğatekin on charge of “propagandizing for a terrorist organization” and demanded the penalization of the journalist. The court has given time for the statements of defense as to the accusations. The next hearing will be held on January 12, 2021 (December 12).
At the hearing held on January 12, 2021, Özgür Boğatekin has been sentenced to 1 year, 6 months, 22 days in prison on charge of “propagandizing for a terrorist organization.” Boğatekin has been acquitted of “turning a counterterrorism official into a target” (January 12).
