VAN - Journalist İdris Yılmaz, who was attacked while trying to report on the coastal road project of the municipality under the management of the trustee, was sentenced to 4 months and 15 days in prison for "deliberate injury" by using the camera as a weapon.

 

Journalists İdris Yılmaz and Erhan Akbaş, who wanted to report on the coastal road project, which was put out to tender by the Erciş Municipality, managed by a trustee on October 14, 2017, in the Erdîş (Erciş) district of Wan(Van), were exposed to the attack by the contractor Şahin Yağar and his relatives and their cameras were broken. judgment of the case was held. Journalists Yılmaz, Yağar and their lawyers attended the hearing at the Erciş 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.

 

Taking the floor after the identification, Yılmaz said: “As a journalist, I went to the scene to report in the interest of the public. I asked them about the corruption allegations. I also uncovered the evidence for that. I have no activities other than journalism."

 

CAMERA WAS COUNTED AS WEAPON

 

After announcing its decision, the court sentenced journalist Yılmaz to 4 months and 15 days in prison on charges of "deliberate injury" despite being battered. It is noteworthy that the court described the camera that Yılmaz was carrying on the day of the incident as a weapon. In the decision rendered, it was stated: “As the camera seized at the crime scene and counted as a weapon in accordance with Article 6/1-f-4 of the TCK numbered 5237, the punishment given to the defendant should be increased by half as required.”

 

The court acquitted journalist Erhan Akbaş and sentenced the contractor Yağar, who won the tender, to an administrative fine of 3 thousand 800 TL and a prison sentence of 10 months and 15 days for "intentional injury".

 

Yılmaz's lawyer will take the decision to the Regional Administrative Court.