Journalist Sezgin Kartal was detained in a house raid in the morning. Breaking down the door of his house, the police seized the digital equipment of Kartal. The reason for his detention was unknown (January 10).
Following a 3-day detention, Sezgin Kartal was taken to the İstanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan, where he was referred by the prosecutor to the criminal judgeship of peace to be arrested for “membership of an organization”. The judgeship ruled that journalist Sezgin Kartal should be arrested (January 13).
Arrested on January 13, 2023, Karşı Mahalle reporter Sezgin Kartal was indicted. The indictment dated January 24, 2023 and sent to his lawyers from the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) charged Kartal with “membership of an organization”.
The prosecutor demanded that Kartal be penalized on the offense charged by arguing that “under the guise of his identity as a journalist, he penned articles to portray the armed terrorist organization’s activities and ideologies favorable to the people.”
Accepting the indictment, the İstanbul 22nd High Criminal Court will hold the first hearing on April 4, 2023 at 2 pm (January 30).
At the first hearing, the judge asked Kartal, “Have you passed to Syria?” Kartal told that he has not gone to Syria. The prosecutor asked Kartal why he went to the Southeast in September and if he passed to Jarabulus. Kartal told that he went there to report about the tent cities founded by the people by the borderline. Journalist İbrahim Karakaş was heard as a witness. The court decided to extend the detention on remand due to “strong doubt of crime.” The next hearing will be on June 22 (April 4).
The fifth hearing of the case was held on April 25 at the Istanbul 22nd High Criminal Court. The prosecutor, who gave his opinion, requested that Kartal be penalised for the crime of “membership of an organization.” The hearing was adjourned until June 25 (April 25th).
The sixth hearing of the case was held on June 25 at the Istanbul 22nd High Criminal Court. The court ruled for Kartalı’s acquittal. It was also ruled that the international travel ban on Kartal be lifted (June 25).
