Saying 'criminal affairs minister' is freedom of expression, Turkish court rules

A Turkish court has ruled that calling then-Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu “criminal affairs minister” was within the scope of the right to freedom of expression.

Wednesday November 29 2023 12:15 pm

Duvar English

An İzmir court has acquitted a feminist organization member Didar Gül in an insult lawsuit filed for calling then-Turkish Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu “criminal affairs minister.”

The lawsuit was initially filed over Purple Solidarity (“Mor Dayanışma”) member Didar Gül’s remark calling Soylu “criminal affairs minister” in 2022 during a press statement regarding the sentence of Onur Gencer, who murdered HDP member Deniz Poyraz.

After her speech, Gül was temporarily detained.

In its final opinion, the prosecutor requested Gül's acquittal, stating that the “criminal affairs minister” statement was within the scope of the right to criticize, even though a public case had been filed, Mesopotamia News Agency reported on Nov. 28.

The İzmir 27th Criminal Court of First Instance acquitted Gül on the grounds that her remark was within the scope of the right to freedom of expression and the right to criticism.