Three defendants detained in the case of the attack on Sözcü reporter Evren Demirdaş in Elazığ have been released. In the attack on October 1, Demirdaş suffered a broken nose and injuries to various parts of his body. The Elazığ 6th Criminal Court of First Instance and Juvenile Court decided to try the defendants without detention on charges of “simple assault” rather than “intentional assault.”
Serkan Gürtürk, President of the Fırat Basin Journalists Association, stated that the decision was disappointing for the press community. Demirdaş said the release decision was “rewarding” for the attackers and emphasized that this situation was a blow to press freedom.
November 7, 2025
Cumhuriyet