Source: “Kaos GL’nin ‘Akit’i Susturma’ Girişimi Yine Mahkemeden Döndü,” (“Kaos GL’s attempt to ‘silence Akit’ bounced back from the Court again,”) 26 March 2014, Yeni Akit, http://www.yeniakit.com.tr/haber/kaos-glnin-akiti-susturma-girisimi-yine-mahkemeden-dondu-14001.html
Yeni Akit is a conservative daily newspaper that engages in hate speech against LGBTI people and other groups. This is a verbatim translation.
Kaos GL attempted to silence our newspaper following our reports about the activities of organizations that go against social values. This attempt resulted in an acquittal.
The hypocrisy of those who speak about “freedom of expression” and object to “media censorship” at every opportunity is revealed yet again. Kaos GL, which has expressed, in various public statements, a desire for unrestricted freedom for everyone, had taken our newspaper to court for a news report published on October 23, 2012. Kaos GL, the supposed advocates of freedom, demanded a criminal case on the grounds that our criticisms of homosexuals constitute an insult offence, and asked that the chief editor be given a prison sentence of up to one year. However, they failed to achieve their goal.
FIRST GRANTED NON-PROSECUTION
On March 12, 2013, in the course of the criminal investigation, initiated on account of the complaint by KAOS GL, which asks for freedom for themselves but jail time for Akit, the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office defined the news report as “freedom of expression.” and granted a decision of non-prosecution.
SECOND ATTEMPT AT “SILENCING”
The organization seeks to silence the press and perceives Akit to be the greatest obstacle in their way. The organization’s attorneys appealed the decision. Following the appeal, a court case was brought up in Bakırköy’s 2nd Penal Court for “insult by means of the press,” demanding the sentencing of the chief editor Zekeriya Say with up to one year in prison.
Today the court acquitted the newspaper in Kaos GL’s lawsuit brought by Kaos GL on grounds of insulting the LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex) communities].
Zekeriya Say, our chief editor, and Ali Pacci, our attorney, participated the court hearings on behalf of our newspaper at Istanbul’s 2nd Penal Court. Hayriye Kara and Fırat Söyle were present as Kaos GL’s attorneys.
At the hearing, the prosecutor noted that corporations and similar juridical entities cannot be sued for insult and requested the acquittal of the journalist Zekeriya Say.
Kaos GL attorney Kara, on the other hand, proved their determination to silence the press and objected to the decision for acquittal, stating that they filed the suit not on the basis of “insult” but “humiliation,” as he demanded Akit’s conviction.