An investigation opened against Evrensel and its managing editor Şimşek following an official complaint filed by Minister Albayrak’s lawyer due to the article titled “Albayrak gives green light to an offensive economic agenda that affect workers”, published on July 13, 2018.
Cem Şimşek is being accused of “insult and defamation” of Minister of Treasury and Economics Berat Albayrak. He faces up to 2 years and 4 months of imprisonment. Albayrak’s lawyers filed the case against the daily on the charges of “not publishing the correction and reply”, while accusing the editor of “insult”. There are two different charges according to the criminal laws but both are to be evaluated in the same file although Evrensel lawyer requested to separate files.
At the hearing on September 12, Bakırköy 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance ruled that the journalist was acquitted on the charges of insult and defamation and should pay a fine of TL 41,000 due to failing to comply with the decision of retracting the article.