A lawsuit was filed against Ali Ergin Demirhan, an editor of sendika.org news website, charging the journalist with “propagandizing for a terrorist organization” over eight news reports published on sendika.org. However, the charge brought against Demirhan has been reportedly changed as “insulting the President of the Republic.”
The first hearing of the trial was expected to be held at the İstanbul High Criminal Court on November 19, 2020.
However, as the court personnel were infected with COVID-19, the hearing has been adjourned until a later date (November 19).
At the final hearing on March 17, 2021, Demirhan was sentenced to 11 months, 20 days in prison for “insulting the President of the Republic”. The court board has changed his prison term into a judicial fine of 7 thousand lira (March 17).
