State TV ordered to compensate the CHP
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 22, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - An Ankara court yesterday sentenced state-owned Turkish Radio and Television, or TRT, to pay 20,000 Turkish Liras to the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, and its leader, Deniz Baykal, on the grounds that the party’s legal entity and Baykal’s individual rights were attacked on a television show.
Tuncay Güney, a key figure of the Ergenekon investigation, appeared in a live debate on the TRT 2 show "Büyüteçm" in January and implicated many people of being involved in the Ergenekon organization, including businessmen and military officials as well as Baykal. Claiming that Baykal was a National Intelligence Organization, or MİT, agent, Güney directed accusations against his party as well. The CHP filed a criminal complaint against the TRT, pointing out Güney’s controversial identity and arguing that the allegations were a product of his imagination and were not based on concrete evidence.
The CHP also claimed that the TRT violated its principle of neutrality because it allowed Güney to level accusations against a political party.
In its claim, the CHP requested damages of 200,000 liras. Despite the TRT’s objection, Judge Mahmut Ülgey ruled that the TRT must pay 10,000 liras as compensation to each claimant, namely the CHP and Baykal. The ruling will be finalized after the appeal process is completed.
The CHP also claimed that the TRT violated its principle of neutrality because it allowed Güney to level accusations against a political party.
In its claim, the CHP requested damages of 200,000 liras. Despite the TRT’s objection, Judge Mahmut Ülgey ruled that the TRT must pay 10,000 liras as compensation to each claimant, namely the CHP and Baykal. The ruling will be finalized after the appeal process is completed.