A “terrorism” investigation has been launched against journalist İsmail Saymaz after he wrote about the wife of judge Murat Bircan, who gave the conviction decisions in the Gezi Trial. Saymaz wrote that Bircan’s wife is a “FETÖ confessor.”

Journalist Saymaz stated the following on his Twitter account “Since I wrote that the wife of the judge in the Gezi Park Trial, who himself was a candidate for the AK Party, was a suspect in FETÖ and gave a statement, a terrorism investigation was launched against me.” Saymaz also said that he will go to testify with his lawyer on Thursday (May 10).

10 October 2023

Upon the complaint of Murat Bircan, a lawsuit was filed against Saymaz on charges of “targeting a public official involved in the fight against terrorism” (TMK 6/1) and “insulting a public official” (TCK 125). The first hearing of the case was held at the Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court. The court decided to send the file to the prosecutor’s office to prepare an opinion and postponed the case to 5 December (10 October).

The Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court acquitted Journalist İsmail Saymaz in the case where he was tried on the charge of “targeting the officer fighting against terrorism” (Turkish Criminal Code Article6/1) (January 23).