Defendants: Hayko Bağdat

Media Outlet and Position: Özgürüz – Columnist

Accusations: Spreading consecutive terrorist propaganda via the press

Possible sentence: from 1 year 10 months 15 days to 13 years 1 month 15 days

Court: İstanbul 28. High Criminal Court

Case Background: 

Hayko Bağdat, a columnist for Özgürüz news site, faces prosecution on the charges of “spreading consecutive terrorist propaganda via the press” following an anonymous complaint sent through the previously called “Prime Ministry’s Communication Center” (BİMER) in relation to a series of Bağdat’s social media posts between May 2017 and June 2018.

The indictment cited Bağdat’s posts as criminal evidence which were claimed to spread the opinions of an armed terrorist organization and to legitimize a terrorist organization’s act of violence.

During the first hearing on November 12, 2020, Bağdat and his lawyers did not attend the hearing.

The next hearing was scheduled for March 4, 2021.

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