Halk TV trial: journalists acquitted in first hearing
In the expert witness case filed against Halk TV, the court ruled for the acquittal of the channel’s jailed Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş, along with Barış Pehlivan, Seda Selek, Kürşad Oğuz, and Serhan Asker in the first hearing.
In the first hearing of the Halk TV trial, the court ruled for the release of Suat Toktaş, who had been in prison for 34 days, while all journalists were acquitted.
The case was filed against Halk TV Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş, Responsible Manager Serhan Asker, Programs Coordinator Kürşad Oğuz, journalist Barış Pehlivan, and TV host Seda Selek over a news report concerning an expert witness previously highlighted by İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
The trial began today at 09:40 AM in Istanbul’s Çağlayan Courthouse, at the 54th Criminal Court of First Instance, where Suat Toktaş had been standing trial while in detention.
ALL JOURNALISTS ACQUITTED
The trial, which lasted around seven hours, saw the court take a recess before announcing its verdict.
At 3:30 PM, the court panel delivered its decision, ruling for the acquittal of all journalists.
Halk TV Editor-in-Chief Suat Toktaş, who had been in prison for 34 days, is set to be released.
