Turkiye: Yasemin Çongar and Colleagues’ Libel Suit Verdict Threatens Press Freedom
Women Press Freedom condemns damages ruling as misuse of defamation laws to suppress media
Location: Turkiye, Istanbul
Date: May 8, 2024
Women Press Freedom organization vehemently condemns the recent ruling by the Anadolu 9th Civil Court of First Instance, which ordered journalists Yasemin Çongar, Mehmet Baransu, Ahmet Altan, and Yıldıray Oğur to pay damages to retired General Çetin Doğan. This decision stems from their reporting on the alleged "Sledgehammer" coup plot in the now-shuttered Taraf newspaper. The court’s mandate for these journalists to compensate General Doğan TL 50,000 ($1550) for defamation is a prime example of how defamation laws can be used to stifle investigative journalism. Women Press Freedom is deeply concerned about the broader implications of this ruling. It exemplifies how defamation laws can be misused to stifle investigative journalism and silence dissenting voices. The prolonged legal battles endured by these journalists highlight the urgent need to protect media professionals from retaliatory legal actions. Women Press Freedom urges the court to reconsider its decision, allow the journalists to appeal, and prevent powerful figures from using the judicial system to silence the press.
On May 8, 2024, the Anadolu 9th Civil Court of First Instance ordered four journalists — Yasemin Çongar, Mehmet Baransu, Ahmet Altan, and Yıldıray Oğur — to pay damages to retired General Çetin Doğan. The ruling pertains to articles published in the now-defunct Taraf daily, which reported on the alleged 2003 "Sledgehammer" military plot to overthrow the government.
The ruling requires the journalists to compensate General Doğan for defamation. According to the court ruling, the defendants are to pay Çetin Doğan TL 50,000 ($1550) in damages over the five news items that were published in Taraf in January 2010.
Taraf, a daily newspaper renowned for its critical stance and investigative journalism on military and government affairs, was forcibly closed by executive decree following the failed coup attempt in 2016. This closure was part of a broader government crackdown on media outlets, which significantly curtailed press freedom in the country. The court's decision to order journalists to pay damages for their reporting on the 'Sledgehammer' plot further exacerbates these concerns, as it sets a dangerous precedent for the future of investigative journalism in Turkey.
Doğan initiated the civil lawsuit against the four journalists following his implication in a coup attempt. The "Sledgehammer" plot was a controversial topic, alleging that ultranationalist military officers planned to destabilize the government. Doğan claimed that the reports in Taraf damaged his reputation.
The articles in question contributed to a national debate and led to significant legal repercussions for the journalists involved. In 2022, Oğur, Altan, Çongar, and Baransu were convicted of “obtaining information related to national security” and received prison sentences.
Their criminal convictions were later overturned, resulting in their retrial, which is currently being heard at Istanbul's 2nd High Criminal Court.
Women Press Freedom strongly opposes the verdict mandating compensation to General Çetin Doğan for alleged defamation. This ruling, linked to their investigative reporting on the contentious 'Sledgehammer' plot, underscores the dangers of retaliatory legal actions used to silence critical voices. We fervently call on the Turkish judiciary to reconsider this decision, stop entertaining punitive and baseless civil suits targeting journalists for their truthful reporting, and foster an environment where the press can operate freely without fear of legal retaliation by powerful individuals. This is not just a call for justice, but a call for the preservation of press freedom, a cornerstone of any democratic society.
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