Istanbul Chief Prosecutor Summons Journalist Ertuğrul Özkök for Questioning on Charge of 'Insulting the President'

The Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office has launched a criminal investigation of its own motion against journalist Ertuğrul Özkök on charges of 'insulting the president' based on statements he made on a television program; Özkök appeared today at the Istanbul Palace of Justice in Çağlayan to give a statement.

In a statement by the prosecutor's office, it was noted that the investigation is based on 'remarks made during a program he participated in'; which program and which specific statements are the subject of the investigation have not yet been shared with the public.

In Turkey, the offense of insulting the president, under Article 299 of the Turkish Penal Code, carries a prison sentence of one to four years. This provision has been applied against hundreds of journalists and citizens over the past decade; according to a 2023 report by PEN International, more than 9,000 cases were filed under this provision during the period in question. Cumhuriyet newspaper reported the news.