MEDIA MONITORING DATABASE
Süleyman Yeşilyurt – trial for “openly insulting the memory of Atatürk”
RELATED PERSON OR INSTITUTION
Süleyman Yeşilyurt
CITY
İstanbul
YEAR OF INTERFERENCE
2017
LAST UPDATED
26/04/2019
TYPE OF STATEMENT
Political
MEDIUM
Television
THE TITLE OF WHOSE RIGHT IS INTERFERED
Other
RIGHTS GUARANTEED UNDER THE RIGHT OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Right to Impart Information and Ideas
TYPE OF INTERFERENCE
Judicial Interference
Criminal Courts
Suspension of the execution of the sentences of imprisonment
THE LEGAL GROUNDS FOR INTERFERENCE
The Law on Offences Committed Against Atatürk
Art. 1/1

The Bakırköy 35th Criminal Court of First Instance found Yeşilyurt guilty of “insulting Atatürk’s memory” and sentenced him to 15 months in prison. Yeşilyurt was acquitted of the charge of “inciting people to hatred and hostility”. His prison sentence was deferred by the court. Editor-in-Chief of Derin Tarih Magazine Mustafa Armağan has also been sentenced to 15 months in prison for “insulting the memory of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk”

In the TV show, the topic of discussion was Atatürk’s wife Ms. Latife, which was also the main topic of the magazine’s issue. In the show the question, “Is Ms. Latife the second First Lady of Çankaya [Presidential Mansion]?” was discussed and also sexist expressions were used with regards to Afet İnan, one of Atatürk’s adopted children.

Süleyman Yeşilyurt, who has came to Bakırköy Courthouse because of the arrest warrant, was detained on May 12, 2017 and was released at the first hearing.