Speaking to representatives of various media outlets on Thursday at İstanbul University’s Baltalimanı Social Facilities, Ergin said a large number of cases have been filed against reporters covering Ergenekon, particularly on charges of violating the confidentiality of the investigation and the judicial process. He said his ministry was focusing on finding the optimum balance between press freedom and regulations that protect the confidentiality of judicial processes and the privacy of suspects. He said that so far, 4,139 probes have been filed into journalists over Ergenekon, noting that 17 journalists have been convicted by various courts.
Justice Minister Ergin said: “From the start of the Ergenekon process until Oct. 21, 2009, the highest number of legal actions taken against journalists was related to Turkish Penal Code (TCK) Article 285, which criminalizes endangering the confidentiality of an investigation. A total of 4,139 processes were launched in this period; 1,739 of those were dismissed, 574 are still being investigated, 561 were declared outside the scope of jurisdiction of the authority applied to and charges were filed against 1,265. So far, 17 journalists have been convicted, 122 were acquitted, 317 of these cases were dismissed while 203 of those filed were ruled out of the court’s jurisdiction.”
