The owner of Gerger Fırat newspaper, journalist Hacı Boğatekin is standing trial for allegedly insulting a state official due to a phrase he used in an article criticizing the cancellation of “Honey” festival at the very last day. He has said “I spit on district governor’s shoe (a phrase)”
The 3rd Assize Criminal Court of Adıyaman found him guilty on insult and sentenced him to 17 months and 15 days of imprisonment. Upon the appeal to the ruling, the Gaziantep Regional Court of Appeal reversed the case and acquitted the journalist. The court underlined that the verdict of the first instance court was not in compliance with the jurisprudence of ECtHR.