Eylem Sonbahar
A court in Istanbul has sentenced journalist Evrim Kepenek to 10 months in prison on charges of “violating the confidentiality of an investigation” related to his reporting on the alleged sexual abuse and death of a two-year-old child. The announcement of the verdict was postponed, meaning the sentence will not be enforced unless Kepenek commits a similar offense within a set probation period.
The fourth hearing of the case was held at the Büyükçekmece 9th Criminal Court of First Instance, located in a district on the western outskirts of Istanbul. The charges stemmed from Kepenek’s coverage of claims that a child had died as a result of sexual abuse. The child's family appeared at the hearing as complainants.
Two uniformed police officers were called into the courtroom before the hearing began, while two more waited outside the door.
Kepenek, who attended the hearing alongside his lawyer Deniz Yazgan Şenay, defended himself by stating: “I’ve been working as a journalist for nearly 20 years. I adhere to press ethics in my profession and aim to raise awareness about the victimization of women and children.” He emphasized that the news report in question also complied with these professional standards.
“I respected the presumption of innocence and based my reporting on verified information,” Kepenek continued in his defense statement. “After a doctor at Beylikdüzü State Hospital contacted me and shared observations, I consulted forensic experts about the findings in the report. I prepared the story based on expert opinions, prioritizing the child’s best interests and without naming anyone. My report did not compromise the ongoing investigation. The confidentiality order was only issued on Sept. 10, 2022. I did not publish any stories on the subject after that date. I also want to state clearly that I never reported on or shared anything related to the child’s grandfather.”
“There is no element of intent in the news report”
Kepenek argued that he had no criminal intent and asked to be acquitted. His lawyer, Deniz Yazgan Şenay, added: “First, we extend our condolences to the grieving family. We had already pointed out that the case was filed against the wrong person and that my client did not publish the first report. We also submitted evidence showing that no names were mentioned in my client’s report. In news reports about the child’s grandfather, my client neither named nor targeted anyone. There was no intent. We request that my client be acquitted.”
Despite the defense, the court found Kepenek guilty of violating the confidentiality of an investigation and sentenced him to 10 months in prison. The court ruled to defer the announcement of the verdict, a legal measure in Turkey that delays the implementation of a sentence unless the convicted person reoffends.
