Turkey: Judge Holds SLAPP Hearing In Target Hazal Ocak’s Lawyers’ Absence
Location: Turkey, İstanbul
Date: June 22, 2022Available in: 🇹🇷 Türkçe
The fifth hearing of the SLAPP case against Hazal Ocak with a demand for compensation of 200,000 Turkish liras (around 1150 USD) by Erdoğan’s son-in-law and former finance minister Berat Albayrak was held in İstanbul without the journalist’s lawyer present. The judge kept Hazal’s lawyer waiting outside the courtroom while the complainant lawyers were allowed to attend virtually. The judge also refused to give the next hearing’s date to Hazal’s lawyer. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) denounces the SLAPP and calls on the courts to dismiss such frivolous lawsuits instead of seemingly facilitating vexatious litigation.
Former Cumhuriyet reporter Hazal was hit by a defamation lawsuit by former finance and treasury minister Albayrak after she reported on land bought by the latter in İstanbul's Arnavutköy district, which is on the route of the planned Canal İstanbul project.
The fifth hearing of Albayrak’s defamation lawsuit against Hazal was held before the İstanbul 8th Civil Court of First Instance on June 21. Albayrak's lawyers attended the hearing digitally via an e-trial method, according to Eylem Sonbahar from the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA). When Damla Çaltepe, Hazal’s lawyer, confronted the judge about holding the hearing without notice, the judge said, “It [the hearing] is over”.
The judge also refused to share any details about the proceedings with Hazal’s lawyer. When asked about the date fixed for the next hearing, the judge said, "You will get it from UYAP [official digital database for the courts and documents]”. The court awaits the final verdict of Hazal’s acquittal in a criminal lawsuit filed over the same report she covered. The same decision was ordered in the previous hearing on February 7, 2022.
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.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity with Hazal Ocak. We strongly denounce the SLAPP (strategic lawsuit to discourage public participation) clearly aimed at evading accountability by an influential former minister. Targeting an individual journalist for her work is unacceptable. We call on the Turkish authorities and judiciary to ensure protective mechanisms for SLAPP targets and uphold press freedom. It is extremely worrying that this case was reopened despite Albayrak’s claims dismissed by the court earlier. The retrial and the judge’s conduct cast a dark shadow on press freedom and freedom of speech in the country. SLAPPs are designed to deplete the target’s financial, legal and personal resources while allowing the rich and powerful to evade accountability. They must be recognized as such.
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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