2 prominent Turkish journalists investigated for ‘disseminating false information’
Journalist Fatih Altayli (R) and Ismail Saymaz (L). (gazeteoksijen Photo)
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into journalists Fatih Altayli and Ismail Saymaz on allegations of “disseminating false information to mislead the public.”
The investigation focuses on Altayli’s article, “Those who are not afraid of debris are not afraid of prison”, and Saymaz’s remarks on a television program.
Disputed statements prompt action
The statement in question includes Saymaz’s claim that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan showed a footage to Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahceli showing members of MHP allegedly involved in gold smuggling.
On the same date, in a program on a Turkish news channel, Ismail Saymaz claimed MHP deputies were involved in the gold smuggling allegation.
The Directorate of Communications’ Center for Combating Disinformation denied the accuracy of this information.
In a related move, the same center also refuted the content of Altayli’s article. A statement from the directorate declared, “It is not true that President Erdogan showed any such footage to Mr. Bahceli during their meeting.”
Fatih Altayli wrote in his article that, “Bahceli was shown the footage! Three MPs from the junior partner of the ruling party suddenly resigned from their party last night. Or they were forced to.”
“The unexplained reason is ‘gold smuggling’. Previously, a former AKP MP and former Deputy Minister of Customs, Fatih Metin, and his chief of staff, Yunus Emre Morkoc, were caught with 60 kilos of gold bullion in a suitcase. While Morkoc was prosecuted, the former deputy customs minister was left untouched,” Altayli wrote in his article.
According to information coming from Ankara, the names of these MPs have been known for a long time, but no action was taken in order not to harm the People’s Alliance.
However, during the last meeting between President Erdogan and MHP leader Bahceli, this issue was brought up by Erdogan. Upon Bahceli’s defense of the MPs, Erdogan showed some images to his coalition partner and Bahceli was convinced by these images and demanded the resignation of the three MPs, which is unconfirmed but almost everyone knows for sure.
Fatih Altayli
Journalist respond to allegations
Saymaz clarified his position, asserting, “I don’t have such a direct statement, that’s what is tragic, secondly, even if I did, according to the statement made by the Minister of Justice, Yilmaz Tunc, there is no investigation against the MPs who were asked to resign from their party due to the allegation of smuggled gold.
How can it be interpreted that an investigation has not even been opened against the MPs yet, while two journalists have not been investigated about the allegation of smuggled gold in public opinion? If there is anyone to be investigated, it is the MPs accused of smuggled gold.”
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