A court document published by the lawyer of Turkish journalist Tolga Sardan revealed that he was released today, Monday, pending trial after being imprisoned under the disinformation law. According to the document, the court has prohibited Sardan (55 years old) from leaving the country until the conclusion of the case against him but has ordered his immediate release. A Turkish court ordered Sardan's detention last week after the Istanbul public prosecutor's office launched an investigation into his reports on the judiciary and the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT).
Under a law passed by the Turkish parliament in 2021, journalists and social media users could face up to three years in prison for publishing "disinformation" if convicted. The arrest of Sardan and another prominent journalist, Dincer Gokgi, has raised concerns about the widening scope of the government's crackdown on press freedom and freedom of expression in Turkey. The opposition channel Halk TV reported that "Gokgi was released under judicial supervision on Wednesday."
The disinformation law targets those who publish what authorities consider false information online about Turkey's security "to incite fear and disturb public order," a measure Ankara states is necessary to protect the public. The court's decision to release Sardan came two days before the Turkish Constitutional Court's review of the law.
