MEDIA MONITORING DATABASE
Özgür Gündem Trials: The Editors-in-Chief on Watch Campaign – İlham Bakır
RELATED PERSON OR INSTITUTION
İlham Bakır
CITY
İstanbul
YEAR OF INTERFERENCE
2017
LAST UPDATED
15/05/2019
TYPE OF STATEMENT
Political
MEDIUM
Print Media
Newspaper
THE TITLE OF WHOSE RIGHT IS INTERFERED
Editor / Editor-In-Chief
RIGHTS GUARANTEED UNDER THE RIGHT OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Right to Impart Information and Ideas
TYPE OF INTERFERENCE
Judicial Interference
Criminal Courts
Suspension of the execution of the sentences of imprisonment
THE LEGAL GROUNDS FOR INTERFERENCE
Anti-Terror Law
Art. 7/2

Trials of 21 journalists and writers who are standing trial for participating in the Editors-in-Chief on Watch campaign carried out for the closed Özgür Gündem newspaper were held on February 14, 2017 at the 22nd Heavy Penal Court and 13th Heavy Penal Court. Investigations have been launched against 50 of the 56 editor-in-chief who have participated in the solidarity campaign and 38 of them faced prosecution.

On March 28, 2017, the 22nd High Criminal Court in İstanbul sentenced Bakır to 1 year and 3 months of imprisonment for “propagandising for a terrorist organisation” in the case in which he was tried for attending the “Editor-in-chief campaign” in solidarity with the shuttered Özgür Gündem. The execution of the prison sentence has been deferred.