Journalist Fatih Ergin faces up to 4.5 years in prison over doctor's job title written incorrectly

Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has prepared an indictment dated October 15 against Nefes News Coordinator Fatih Ergin, who has been in custody since September 28, on charges of "publicly disseminating misleading information to deceive the public." The indictment was sent to Silivri Court of First Instance for Criminal Cases; the prosecution is seeking a sentence ranging from 1 year 6 months to 4 years 6 months.

The post Ergin is accused of is linked to a reopened investigation into the death of Kaşif Kozinoğlu, a former National Intelligence Organization official, who died in Silivri Prison in 2011. Ergin announced on social media that doctor Turgay Tamer, who was released after being detained as part of this investigation, was found dead in his home in Büyükçekmece on September 27.

In his initial post, Ergin described Tamer as a "former forensic medicine employee," then corrected this statement to indicate that Tamer had worked as a doctor on the prison campus. In its indictment, Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, relying on a letter from Silivri District Health Directorate, argues that Tamer did not hold the title of "forensic medicine employee."

According to records of the Turkish Journalists Association, Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code has been applied repeatedly against journalists since its enactment in 2022; Ergin is among the longest-detained individuals arrested under this provision.