The Presidency’s Communications Directorate made defense in the court case filed by IPS Communication Foundation Chair and bianet Project Coordinator Nadire Mater, whose permanent press card had not been renewed for over three years. At the hearing, it turned out that Mater’s press card was cancelled ‘without notifying her’ about the cancellation. Arguing that having a press card is not a must for practicing journalism, the Directorate said, “This does not pose an obstacle to the engagement in journalistic activities.” Finding the court case groundless and unfounded, the Directorate said, “Considering that there are hundreds of press members who have been doing journalism without a press card, a press card is apparently not an indispensable element for doing journalism.” With this defense, it argued that the cancellation of Mater’s press card did not have a negative effect on her professional life. The Directorate demanded the dismissal of the case. As the reason for the cancellation of her press card, the Presidency’s Communications Directorate cited the prison sentence of 1 year, 3 months given to Nadire Mater for supporting the Özgür Gündem newspaper’s Editors-in-Chief on Watch campaign (August 20).