Journalist Kanbal's 'lost ballot box' case 

2023-06-10 09:59:05


	 

	MARDİN - Journalist Ahmet Kanbal, who shared on social media about the lost ballot box in Mardîn, was prosecuted for "publicly spreading misleading information".

	 

	Two separate investigations were launched against Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Ahmet Kanbal for "publicly spreading misleading information" based on two news stories he made in April and May. In one of the investigations opened against Kanbal, the prosecutor's office gave a decision of non-prosecution, while an indictment was prepared and a lawsuit was filed against another.

	 

	DECISION OF NON-FOLLOWING

	 

	The first investigation opened against Kanbal was based on the news about the murder of HPG members Musa Kahraman (Xebatkar Bagok) and Lokman Görgün on April 8 in the Omerîya (Ömeryan) region of Merdîn. Despite the Ministry of Interior's claims that Kahraman and Görgün were PKK members, the news reported that Görgün was a villager with 8 children and a shepherd. In the investigation opened on the news in question, the prosecutor's office decided not to prosecute on the grounds that "There is no concrete evidence, trace or indication within the scope of the file that would require a public action".

	 

	CASE FOR THE POSTING OF THE BALLOT BOX

	 

	The second investigation launched against Kanbal was based on a social media post about the ballot box number 1363 and the ballot box president who disappeared in Mardîn during the May 14 elections. The indictment prepared within the scope of the said investigation was accepted by the Mardin 1st Criminal Court of First Instance. In the indictment, which was prepared despite the minutes of the disappearance of the ballot box and the applications made by political parties regarding the ballot box, a penalty was demanded on the grounds that the sharing was made 25 minutes after the ballot box was found.

	 

	In the indictment, a prison sentence of one to three years was demanded for journalist Kanbal in accordance with Article 217 of the TCK, which regulates the act of "publicly disseminating misleading information".