The İstanbul 5th Criminal Court of First Instance put journalist Rüstem Batum on trial on the grounds that he protested the violations of rights in Turkey’s southeast, mentioned the effects of the economic crisis on citizens and “aggressive” foreign policy and criticized President of the Republic Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to whom Qatar gave a plane, on his Twitter account in the period of 2017-2019. Demanding 4 years, 8 months in prison for the journalist on charge of “insulting the President of the Republic” and filed on June 17, 2019, the court case is awaiting the execution of the warrant which was issued against Batum on October 19, 2018. The trial will be held on January 20, 2022 (September 21).

The trial of journalist Rüstem Batum was tried on the charge of “insulting the President of the Republic” with a request for 4 years and 8 months in prison was held at the Istanbul 5th Criminal Court of First Instance. Emine Özhasar, one of MLSA lawyers, demanded that Batum’s arrest warrant be lifted. The court rejected the requests and ruled that the arrest warrant should awaited. The hearing was adjourned until 10 October (21 March).