Turkish reporter Mehmet Andaç detained after publishing child abuse story

Mehmet Andaç, a journalist from north-western Turkey, was detained on prosecutors’ instructions after publishing a story about alleged child sexual abuse involving a 69-year-old businessman in Gelibolu. He was taken from Çanakkale to the Gelibolu Courthouse and accused of violating a confidentiality order, a charge he denied, asserting the report was released before any such order existed. Police also requested that he disclose his sources, which he refused, leading to his release after providing a statement.

The underlying case began when police, acting on a tip, found the businessman with the two 15-year-old boys in a hotel room on Kore Kahramanlar Avenue; the businessman was arrested and charged with child sexual abuse. The hotel operator, identified only as M.P., was later detained on separate charges of document forgery, failure to report a crime, and aiding the abuse. The Gelibolu Municipality subsequently revoked the hotel’s licence and sealed the premises, while the Çanakkale Bar Association’s Children’s Rights Commission called for a thorough investigation and protection of the minors’ identities.