Defendants: Mehmet Y. Yılmaz

Media Outlet and Position: T24 – Columnist

Accusations: Insulting state officials

Possible sentence: 4 years and one month

Court: İstanbul Anadolu 37. Criminal Court

Case Background:

Mehmet Yılmaz, a columnist of the media outlet T24, faces charges of “insulting a public official” over articles about Binali Yıldırım, the former Prime Minister of Turkey and defeated mayoral candidate for İstanbul.

Yılmaz wrote articles about the astonishing wealth of the children of Binali Yıldırım in which Yılmaz claimed that Yıldırım’s children own up to 28 ships, two superyachts and 17 companies, many of which are overseas. In the articles titled “I think Erdoğan is jealous of Mr. Yıldırım” and “I’ll keep on asking until we know the source of the fortune“, Yılmaz called on Yıldırım to explain the immense wealth of his children and to publish their tax payments.

Yıldırım filed a complaint against Yılmaz for defamation over an article titled “Mr. Yıldırım, tell me your secret and my vote is yours” and requested a prison sentence up to four years and one month. The first hearing was held on January 14, 2020.

During the hearing, Yılmaz gave his defense stating that it was written with no intention to insult but to underline that Yıldırım repeatedly ran for office while claiming that he was transparent. Anadolu 4. Criminal Court of Peace in İstanbul issued a ban to access the article in dispute following a complaint by Yıldırım. The court ruled for Yılmaz to be exempt from the next hearings and adjourned the trial until April 9.

Due to suspension of all judicial proceedings in March and April because of COVID-19 pandemic, the April 9 hearing is postponed to July 14.

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