PodcastTurkish court releases former AKUT president after appeal of detention
A Turkish court has ordered the release of former Turkish Search and Rescue Association (AKUT) President Nasuh Mahruki after two weeks in detention. Mahruki faces up to three years in prison for allegedly spreading false information in social media posts.
Duvar English
A Turkish upper court on Dec. 6 accepted the appeal against the detention of former Turkish Search and Rescue Association (AKUT) President Nasuh Mahruki.
Authorities had arrested Mahruki on Nov. 20, due to his social media posts. The upper court accepted the appeal against his detention and ordered his release on the 14th day of his detention.
Prosecutors prepared an indictment against AKUT co-founder Nasuh Mahruki, seeking a prison sentence of one to three years for "publicly spreading misleading information." The first hearing in Mahruki's case is set for December 26.
The indictment sought Mahruki's punishment under the "disinformation" clause of the Turkish Penal Code, which states, "Anyone who publicly disseminates false information related to the country's internal and external security, public order, and general health, with the intent to create fear, panic, or concern among the public, and in a manner that disrupts public peace, shall be sentenced to one to three years in prison."
What happened?
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's Press Crimes Investigation Bureau launched an investigation against Mahruki for "publicly spreading misleading information" and "publicly insulting judicial bodies" due to his social media posts. Following his statement at the Çağlayan Courthouse, authorities referred Mahruki to the Criminal Court of Peace for arrest. The court subsequently ordered his detention.
