AKP files 1.6 million TL damages suit against journalists Sevinç and Soykan and Zeynel Emre

AKP Secretary General Eyyüp Kadir İnan announced that moral damages lawsuits totaling 1 million 600 thousand liras have been filed against journalists Şaban Sevinç and Timur Soykan, BirGün TV, and New Party Spokesperson Zeynel Emre. According to NTV.

The lawsuits have been divided into three separate petitions: 500 thousand liras is being sought for Sevinç's broadcasts on September 28-30 and October 1 and 8; 500 thousand liras for Soykan and BirGün TV's broadcasts on September 26 and October 3 and 10; and 600 thousand liras for Emre's October 12 statements.

İnan argued that the aforementioned broadcasts and statements have damaged the party's institutional reputation. Behind the lawsuits lies media and opposition statements directed at the AKP during the fund investigation process, which has been discussed in the public sphere; the timing of the damages move is striking during a period in which names have not yet been formally disclosed in the investigation.

This is not the first time the party has resorted to this method: similar moral damages proceedings were initiated against multiple journalists and politicians in comparable periods last year.