Two Republican People’s Party (CHP) members - Istanbul Tuzla district mayor candidate Cemil Ekşi and Kartal district mayor advisor Hasan Uzunyayla respectively - have been sentenced to 4 years and 7 months of prison for “assault, insult and threat” charges towards journalist Özen and his family.
Istanbul 8th Assize Court, however, suspended the verdict, ordering judiciary control measures for the convicts Ekşi and Uzunyayla.
Assault case
In 2010, Democratic Left Party (DSP) members were attacked by a group of 30 people including Ekşi and Uzunyayla as they were campaigning against poisonous barrels.
During the incident, DSP Province Administrator and Çağdaş Tuzla newspaper owner Halil Özen, and his wife and journalist Hülya Özen and their 17 year old were assaulted. Özen family had reportedly taken legal action after retrieving a medical report.
Özen to object suspension
Three years after the incident, the court issued its verdict.
“The verdict was issued on November 11 but only broke lately. We find the ruling insufficient. Because we were raided with guns. My wife and I were battered. We will object to the suspension of verdict,” Özen said. (EÖ/EA/BM)
