Journalist on trial for 'misleading information' over tweet about February 6 earthquake aid

English mural

An Istanbul court held its first hearing on September 23 in the case in which journalist Evrim Kebenik is accused of “publicly spreading misleading information” through a social media post in the wake of the earthquakes that struck the country on February 6.

“The gendarmerie seized aid tents in the Pazarcık district of Maraş province,” Kepink wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “All aid will be distributed through the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority.” Update: Several aid tents in the area are being seized.”

Kebenik defended herself in court, saying: “As a journalist, I shared a verified video and statement. Furthermore, the decision that led to this statement was announced by President Erdoğan on February 6. What I wrote in my tweet was a result of the procedures that followed the official announcement. This is not something I fabricated or distorted,” according to the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) report.

“No one attacked anyone after my post, and there was no disturbance of public order. Clearly, the conditions for the alleged crime were not met. In fact, the same footage was sent to other journalists and became news. The next day, members of parliament made inquiries into the case. There is no lying or distortion here; it is about telling the public the truth from a journalistic perspective,” she continued.

After Kebenik requested her acquittal, her lawyer Deniz Yazcan Şenay argued that the investigation should have been initiated by the prosecutor’s office, not based on an open-source research report. Şenay pointed out that the Constitutional Court had overturned the police’s authority over “virtual patrols” in 2020, saying: “We are dealing with an indictment that should be dismissed. The post in question was shared by 200 people. It is clear that 200 shares cannot disrupt public peace.”

She also pointed out that Presidential Decree No. 4, published in the Official Gazette on July 15, 2018, gave the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority the power to seize aid. The lawyer stressed that the report was timely and did not pose any tangible risk, and called for her client to be acquitted.

In December 2022, the Turkish parliament passed a “disinformation law” that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) said would protect the public.

The law provides for a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone who publishes false or misleading information. However, the law has often been used to crack down on journalists who cover allegations of corruption in the government and judiciary.

Reporters Without Borders ranked Türkiye 165th out of 180 countries in its 2023 World Press Freedom Index.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos