Turkey: Hazal Ocak’s Fourth Hearing Case Over Defamation Charges Postponed To 2021
Location: Turkey, Istanbul
Date: November 5, 2020Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
A lawsuit was filed against Hazal Ocak and the president of Cumhuriyet Foundation, Alev Coşkun, in October 2019 on behalf Cengiz Holdings over allegations of defamation. The lawsuit was in retaliation to Hazal’s article in Cumhuriyet Newspaper titled "Luxury fixture with a view of the Bosphorus", which revealed an illegal construction project of Cengiz Holding and its chairman Mehmet Cengiz. Hazal and Alev face a fine of 1 million Turkish Liras for reputational damage. The fourth hearing was held today in Istanbul’s Anatolia 14th Civil Court of First Instance. However, the trial has been postponed to January 20, 2021.
Cengiz Holding’s chairman Mehmet Cengiz appeared before the court requesting compensation over journalist Hazal Ocak’s article, claiming the news story was inaccurate and his reputation was tarnished. The court requested the relevant case files of lawsuits previously filed concerning the grove Ocak had reported on. The report stated that İstanbul’s 9th Administrative Court sent the required documents. In the end, the court postponed the trial until Jan 20, 2021 to review the case once again.
When the first hearing was held on January 8, 2020, Hazal Ocak defended that for the last six years of her experience, she has covered stories about environmental and constructional issues of cities. She stated that the only intention of her story was to inform the public, for the greater good. She explained to the court that the article described the area in question as a ‘breathing place’ for the residents. She expressed that she was astonished by the appeal for compensation and contended that Mehmet Cengiz had not been purposefully targeted.
This is not the first trial Hazal has encountered for her work. The journalist has faced at least three different charges for the articles she wrote in the Cumhuriyet newspaper, though she was acquitted from the charge of ‘insulting state officials’ on October 27, 2020. Even though the Coalition for Women in Journalism welcomed this decision, we demand acquittal verdicts to all women journalists. We have documented at least 25 cases of legal harassment against women journalists in Turkey this year. We believe these compensation cases are being used as a new tactic to intimidate journalists. Therefore, we call on Turkish authorities to intervene and put an end to such acts that jeopardize the freedom of expression in Turkey.
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The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world, and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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The Coalition For Women In Journalism closely monitors the incidents in Turkey with great concern. Since March 8, Women's Day, police violence against women journalists increasingly continues in the country. As the coalition, we urge the Turkish state to provide a free environment for journalists. Following the news is our most fundamental democratic right to report. We demand the immediate release of our detained colleagues. Journalism is not a crime. Journalism cannot be prevented.
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