Merdan Yanardag, the editor-in-chief of the Tele1 TV Channel, gave a statement to the Istanbul chief prosecutor yesterday (May 18) in the scope of an investigation into his post about the claim that a group entered from Georgia to Turkey in order to assassinate the presidential candidate and Republican People's Party leader Kemal Kiliçdaroglu.
Yanardag was later sent to court.
Istanbul 1st Penal Court of Peace did not arrest and released Yanardag on condition of judicial control.
What happened?
Merdan Yanardag claimed that a group entered from Georgia to Turkey to assassinate Kemal Kiliçdaroglu on May 12.
Yanardag claimed that Galip Öztürk who is living in Georgia as a fugitive, organized this in return for a pardon for himself in Turkey. He wrote that the assassination could take place in the Samsun meeting of Kiliçdaroglu.
Yanardag had written in his post, "I think it is necessary to share with the public an important event which can affect the political and social life in Turkey dramatically even if it is late at night. Because I trusted my news source... It is being reported that a group to assassinate Kemal Kiliçdaroglu entered Turkey from Georgia."
Kiliçdaroglu addressed the meeting wearing a steel vest and together with security guards carrying long barreled weapons.
Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office prepared an indictment about Yanardag charging him with "publicly disseminating information misleading the public" according to article 217/A of the Turkish Criminal Code. The prosecutor's office invited Yanardag to give a statement as a "suspect."
Source: English Bianet
