The new Turkey Bülent Şık. Columnist for Bianet
30-Oct-2019
26 September 2019: Academic Bülent Şık given 15-month prison sentence The third hearing in the trial of food safety expert Bülent Şık on charges of “disclosing restricted information,” “procuring restricted information” and “disclosing confidential information obtained by virtue of duty” was held on 26 September 2019 at Istanbul’s 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. Şık was accused over an April 2018 article series in which he wrote about the findings of a Health Ministry-led research about carcinogenic toxins found in agricultural products in Turkey — a study in which he was actively involved until his dismissal from Akdeniz University’s Food Safety and Agricultural Research Center through an emergency decree (KHK) for signing 2016’s Academics for Peace petition. Issuing its verdict at the end of the third hearing, the court acquitted Şık of “disclosing restricted information” and “procuring restricted information” but convicted him of “disclosing confidential information obtained by virtue of duty” and sentenced him to 1 year and 3 months in prison. The court did not defer the sentence. 7 February 2019: Bülent Şık appears in court for article series Former academic Bülent Şık on 7 February appeared before an Istanbul court for the first hearing of his trial on the charges of “disclosing restricted information,” “procuring restricted information” and “disclosing confidential information obtained by virtue of duty.” The charges stem from an article series Şık penned for the Cumhuriyet daily in April 2018, in which he wrote about carcinogenic pesticides and other toxins found in food and water in Turkey. Addressing the 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance of Istanbul for his defense statement during the hearing, Şık requested for his acquittal. A report about the hearing, monitored by P24, can be accessed here. 18 January 2019: Academic Bülent Şık faces new investigation for social media posts A new investigation has been launched into academic Bülent Şık, who is already facing a court case over a series of articles he penned last year for the Cumhuriyet daily. The allegation is that Şık “disseminated propaganda for a terrorist group” via his social media posts. An article by Şık in which he wrote about nitrates in food was added to the investigation file. The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Offices of Antalya and Istanbul and the police are jointly working on the investigation file, reports said. 5 January 2019: Academic Bülent Şık to appear in court for article series Academic Bülent Şık, who is also a columnist for Bianet, will be standing trial for a series of articles he penned in April for the Cumhuriyet daily. Şık’s article series was about carcinogenic pesticides found in agricultural products in Turkey. The court case comes on the heels of an investigation into Şık that was launched upon a complaint filed by the Ministry of Health. The ministry claimed that Şık’s articles “revealed confidential information” and that he “obtained and disclosed classified information.” The indictment, drafted by the anti-terror investigation bureau under the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, accuses Şık of “disclosing restricted information,” “procuring restricted information” and “disclosing confidential information obtained by virtue of duty.” The indictment seeks up to 12 years imprisonment for Şık.

The new Turkey
Bülent Şık.
Columnist for Bianet

30-Oct-2019

26 September 2019:

Academic Bülent Şık given 15-month prison sentence

The third hearing in the trial of food safety expert Bülent Şık on charges of “disclosing restricted information,” “procuring restricted information” and “disclosing confidential information obtained by virtue of duty” was held on 26 September 2019 at Istanbul’s 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.

Şık was accused over an April 2018 article series in which he wrote about the findings of a Health Ministry-led research about carcinogenic toxins found in agricultural products in Turkey — a study in which he was actively involved until his dismissal from Akdeniz University’s Food Safety and Agricultural Research Center through an emergency decree (KHK) for signing 2016’s Academics for Peace petition.

Issuing its verdict at the end of the third hearing, the court acquitted Şık of “disclosing restricted information” and “procuring restricted information” but convicted him of “disclosing confidential information obtained by virtue of duty” and sentenced him to 1 year and 3 months in prison. The court did not defer the sentence.

7 February 2019:

Bülent Şık appears in court for article series
Former academic Bülent Şık on 7 February appeared before an Istanbul court for the first hearing of his trial on the charges of “disclosing restricted information,” “procuring restricted information” and “disclosing confidential information obtained by virtue of duty.” The charges stem from an article series Şık penned for the Cumhuriyet daily in April 2018, in which he wrote about carcinogenic pesticides and other toxins found in food and water in Turkey.

Addressing the 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance of Istanbul for his defense statement during the hearing, Şık requested for his acquittal. A report about the hearing, monitored by P24, can be accessed here.

18 January 2019:
Academic Bülent Şık faces new investigation for social media posts

A new investigation has been launched into academic Bülent Şık, who is already facing a court case over a series of articles he penned last year for the Cumhuriyet daily.

The allegation is that Şık “disseminated propaganda for a terrorist group” via his social media posts. An article by Şık in which he wrote about nitrates in food was added to the investigation file.

The Chief Public Prosecutor’s Offices of Antalya and Istanbul and the police are jointly working on the investigation file, reports said.

5 January 2019:

Academic Bülent Şık to appear in court for article series

Academic Bülent Şık, who is also a columnist for Bianet, will be standing trial for a series of articles he penned in April for the Cumhuriyet daily.

Şık’s article series was about carcinogenic pesticides found in agricultural products in Turkey.

The court case comes on the heels of an investigation into Şık that was launched upon a complaint filed by the Ministry of Health. The ministry claimed that Şık’s articles “revealed confidential information” and that he “obtained and disclosed classified information.”

The indictment, drafted by the anti-terror investigation bureau under the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, accuses Şık of “disclosing restricted information,” “procuring restricted information” and “disclosing confidential information obtained by virtue of duty.”

The indictment seeks up to 12 years imprisonment for Şık.

The new Turkey Bülent Şık. Columnist for Bianet

The new Turkey
Bülent Şık.
Columnist for Bianet