As part of an investigation launched by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, 20 journalists were detained in raids on their homes and offices on June 8, 2022 (June 8).
After eight days in detention, the journalists were referred to the prosecutor’s office that was conducting the investigation, on June 15. Journalists exercised their right to remain silent during the interrogation at the Security Directorate and were brought to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace after their statements were completed at the prosecutor’s office. The journalists, whose statements were taken again at the Criminal Judgeship of Peace, denied the allegations against themselves and said that what they did was journalism.
After their statements were completed, Safiye Alagaş, the Manager of JinNews, Aziz Oruç, an editor for the Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Serdar Altan, the Co-Chair of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG), Mehmet Ali Ertaş, the Managing Editor of the Xwebûn newspaper, and journalists Ömer Çelik, Abdurrahman Öncü, Elif Üngür, İbrahim Koyuncu, Lezgin Akdeniz, Mazlum Doğan Güler, Mehmet Şahin, Neşe Toprak, Ramazan Geciken, Remziye Temel, Suat Doğuhan and Zeynel Abidin Bulut were arrested (June 16).
An appeal was lodged against the pre-trial detention of 16 journalists on June 22. Concluding the appeal on August 16, the Diyarbakır 5th Criminal Court of First Instance concluded on the 64th day of their detention that the detention of the journalists were “moderate and compliant with the legal procedures and the law” (August 16).
The second appeal against the pre-trial detention of 16 journalists was rejected by the Diyarbakır 1st Criminal Judgeship of First Instance. The Judgeship concluded on the 84th day of their detention that the detention was “moderate” (September 8).
The first hearing of the trial of 18 journalists, 15 of whom are under arrest, on charges of “membership of terrorist organisation” (TCK 314) was held on 11 July and 12 July 2023 at Diyarbakır 4th High Criminal Court.
Before the defenses, the lawyers took the floor and requested the recusal of the judge since the prosecutor who prepared the indictment is married to a member of the court. The court rejected the request on the grounds that it would “waste of time”. After the witnesses were heard, the prosecutor gave his final opinion and asked for the continuation of the arrested journalists’ detention.
After the defenses, the court announced its verdict and released all arrested journalists on judicial control conditions. The court also issued a travel ban for all journalists and adjourned the hearing to November 9 (July 12).
At the November 9 hearing, the court decided to evaluate the digital materials with the verdict on the merits and to continue the ban on leaving the country. The next hearing is scheduled for February 22 (November 9)
