Defendants: Pelin Ünker

Media Outlet and Position: Cumhuriyet – Finance news editor

Accusations: Insulting state’s officer

Possible sentence: –

Court: İstanbul 2. Civil Court

Case Background: 

Cumhuriyet Economics Correspondent and Finance Editor Pelin Ünker is accused of “defamation” for  the “Paradise Papers” articles that focused on offshore accounts in Malta reportedly belonging to Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, and his sons Erkam and Bülent Yıldırım.

Yıldırım had filed a separate defamation case against Ünker and the chair of the Cumhuriyet Foundation Orhan Erinç, asking 500.000 Turkish lira as compensation.

During the most recent hearing on September 6, the court reminded that there are criminal cases against journalists Ünker and Erinç for Paradise Papers articles and ruled to adjourn the hearing until the finalization of those trials.

In the beginning of November, Yıldırım and his sons filed a new lawsuit on the same matter, this time with charges of “insulting state’s officer”, demanding a sentence of imprisonment rather than criminal fine.

During the most recent hearing in the case on December 27, the court has rejected the request of Ünker’s lawyer for merger of other cases in relation to “Paradise Papers” article.

Next hearing will take place on January 8.

The Paradise Papers investigation in Turkey also examined Turkish Minister of Finance and Treasury, Berat Albayrak, who is also President Erdoğan’s son-in-law, and his brother. Several other news outlets and journalists are facing defamation cases for the same articles published on their own platforms.

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