19/09/2024 | Writer: Kaos GL
The third hearing of the lawsuit filed against AFP reporter Bülent Kılıç, who was detained under torture during the 19th Istanbul LGBTI+ Pride March, was held. Journalist Hacı Bişkin was heard as a witness.

The third hearing of the case brought against Agence France-Presse (AFP) photojournalist Bülent Kılıç on the grounds of “preventing a public officer from performing his duty” and “insulting against a public officer due to the performance of his public duty” while covering the Pride March, was held today (19 September) at the Istanbul 19th Criminal Court of First Instance.
In the news report by Eylem Sonbahar for MLSA, journalist Hacı Bişkin testified in the latest hearing of the case against Kılıç, who had been detained by the police under torture and prevented from breathing by policemen pressing on his throat while covering the 19th Istanbul Pride March. Bişkin stated that Kılıç did not strike the police officers with his camera, contradicting claims made in the police report. MLSA Co-Director lawyer Veysel Ok and lawyer Emine Özhasar from the MLSA Legal Unit were also in attendance at the hearing.
Journalist Hacı Bişkin, testifying as a witness in the case against Bülent Kılıç, stated,
“I am also a journalist, and I was there to do my job. Bülent was doing his job, but they tried to detain him by forcing him to the ground. Three police officers pressed on his shoulder and neck. He had a camera in his hand, and the police should have known he was a journalist. He did not make the insults mentioned in the indictment, nor did he hit the police officers with the camera.”
During questioning by lawyer Veysel Ok, Bişkin confirmed hearing Kılıç shouting, “I can’t breathe, I'm a journalist,” during the detention.
Ok objected to the complainant’s attorney's request to involve in the case, arguing, “There is no offence, no damage, and the report is false. We do not accept their request.”
The court, however, accepted the involvement request of Yalçın Eyyip, one of the complainant police officers, due to the possibility of harm. The file was sent to the prosecution for the preparation of the final opinion, and the next hearing is scheduled for 16 January 2025.
What happened?
Agence France-Presse (AFP) photojournalist Bülent Kılıç was detained under torture while he was covering 19th Pride March in Istanbul on 26 June. He was subjected to torture by the police pressing down on his throat and preventing him from breathing and handcuffing behind his back.
Following the incident, MLSA Legal Unit filed a criminal complaint on 4 August 2021 against two police officers, accusing them of “damage to property” and “simple injury by exceeding the limit of authority to use force.” MLSA also initiated a lawsuit for compensation on behalf of journalist Bülent Kılıç. The Istanbul 8th Administrative Court ruled that the police had used “disproportionate force” and ordered Kılıç to receive compensation of 30,95 TL and 58 kurus.
However, Prosecutor Aysel Daşkıran ignored this ruling, and the criminal complaint against the officers ended in non-prosecution. The prosecutor concluded that the police had not exceeded their authority under the Law 2559 on the Powers and Duties of Police. On 16 March 2023, she decided not to prosecute the officers, and when Kılıç’s lawyers objected, the Istanbul 5th Criminal Judgeship of Peace rejected the objection on 14 April 2023.
In contrast, the same prosecutor filed an indictment against Kılıç on charges of “resisting to prevent a public officer from performing his duty” and “publicly insulting against a public officer.” The indictment was accepted by the Istanbul 19th Criminal Court of First Instance.
During the first hearing on 26 October 2023, police testimony revealed that the officers had signed the incident report without reading it.
Tags: human rights