Turkey: Decision Yet Pending On Former Minister's SLAPP Against Hazal Ocak
Location: Turkey, İstanbul
Date: February 8, 2022Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The fourth hearing of the defamation case against journalist Hazal Ocak with a demand for compensation of 200 thousand TL was held in Istanbul today. The court decided to wait for the finalization of the acquittal of Hazal, given by another court in İstanbul over the same coverage she faced of criminal charges. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) demands an end to the systematic crackdown on journalists for their journalistic activities. Journalism is not a crime.
Former Cumhuriyet reporter Hazal Ocak was embroiled in a lawsuit by former finance and treasury minister Berat Albayrak after she reported a story on land bought by Albayrak in İstanbul's Arnavutköy district, which is on the route of the planned Canal İstanbul project.
Today, February 8, the fourth hearing of Albayrak’s defamation lawsuit against Hazal was held before the İstanbul 8th Civil Court of First Instance. The court decided once again to wait for the finalization of Hazal’s acquittal in a criminal lawsuit filed over the same report. The court had reached the same decision at the last hearing held on October 14, 2021. Albayrak has claimed Hazal’s reportage was slanderous and has sought 200k Turkish Liras in damages.
Hazal’s story, titled “Son-in-law knows the deal” discussed the ownership of land near the Canal İstanbul project. Hazal reported that the former finance minister, who is also President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son-in-law, purchased the land in 2012, a year after the project was announced. The land was initially zoned for agriculture and later zoned for housing. It was reported that Arab businessmen and influentials bought land around the project and the properties along the canal’s route were considered to hold high-real estate value. Hazal’s report and subsequent coverage stirred a public debate with speculation of fortune to be built with the completion of the project.
Hazal has faced at least three different trials for her reportage published in the Cumhuriyet newspaper. In October 2020, the CFWIJ welcomed her acquittal from defamation charges in connection with her report titled "Luxury fixture with a view of the Bosphorus". We hope other judgments follow suit and all baseless charges against Hazal are dropped.
The CFWIJ demands the same verdict in this case as the previous acquittal of journalist Hazal Ocak for her news coverage. Journalists are only responsible for keeping the public informed by pursuing the truth. We remind the Turkish authorities once again that journalism is not a crime, and demand the dismissal of Hazal's case.
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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