Turkiye: Miyase İlknur Receives 20-Month Suspended Sentence For Column on Tax Haven Investigation

The journalist was acquitted of the “insult” charge but sentenced for defamation

Location: Turkiye, Istanbul
Date: September 21, 2023

Cumhuriyet newspaper columnist Miyase İlknur has been given a suspended sentence of 20 months for defaming judges of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court of Appeals. Despite arguing that she reported based on information from a source, and that news should be protected under freedom of press and expression, she was charged with “slander.” The Coalition For Women In Journalism denounces this decision and urges the appeal court to overturn the verdict.

Journalist Miyase İlknur and Birol Gülger, editor of Cumhuriyet, were tried at the Istanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on September 21, 2023. The charges stem from the column The Isle of Man Case is Clear, written by İlknur and published in Cumhuriyet.

Two judges filed complaints against the journalists, accusing them of "insult" and "slander." Gülger was acquitted, while İlknur was charged with defamation, the charge of "insult" was dropped.

Defamation, a criminal offense in Turkiye, is punishable by imprisonment from three months to two years or a judicial fine.  

İlknur's column, published on April 16, 2022, discussed allegations of offshore bank accounts linked to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the Isle of Man, a well-known offshore banking location. 

The allegations were initially made by opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu in 2017, resulting in a lawsuit and damages against him. 

İlknur's column suggested that Kılıçdaroğlu's claims were not properly investigated due to the involvement of İrfan Fidan, who later became a member of the Constitutional Court, and Ayhan Ayan, who became a member of the Supreme Court of Appeals.

The two judges denied İlknur's suggestions and filed a lawsuit against her and Gülger.

In İlknur's defense, her lawyer, Damla Çaltepe, argued she reported the issue as an allegation based on her news sources and that the article should be evaluated within the scope of freedom of the press and expression.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is increasingly alarmed by methods employed by Turkish political figures, prosecutors, and judiciary members to silence critical journalists. Journalists are frequently faced with charges of defamation, insult, or terrorism for reporting or posting on social media. This legal harassment is meant to muzzle the press and deter others from investigating public officials. The latest sentencing of Miyase İlknur is unjust. We urge the court of appeal to overturn this decision and allow the columnist to work free from harassment.

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.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.