dihaber correspondent Selman Keleş and Arif Aslan are standing trial at the 5th High Criminal Court of Van for “membership in a terrorist organisation”. dihaber correspondent Selman Keleş has been taken in custody on the grounds of “ membership to a terrorist organization” while he was recording around Van Municipality on March 20. He was arrested on March 31, 2017
Both journalists were pending trial in prison in Van and were released by the first hearing on 21 November 2017, after spending eight months in pretrial detention.
Sixth hearing of the trial where they face “membership in a terrorist organization” charges resumes at Van 5th High Criminal Court on September 5, 2019. The court rejected the demand for acquittal by his lawyer and decided to review the request about separating Keleş’s file from the case during the next hearing. The trial is adjourned until 16 January 2020.
The hearing on 16 January 2020 was adjourned due to the lawyer’s reporting an excuse. The next hearing is on 7 May 2020.
At the 9th hearing held on September 3 at the 5th High Criminal Court of Van,the court panel ruled to separate the files against Keleş and Aslan and rejected Aslan’s request for his international travel ban to be lifted (3 September).
The ninth hearing expected to be held on December 10, 2020 has been adjourned till February 11, 2021 as the prosecutor offered an excuse and did not attend the hearing (December 10).
The hearing was held at the Van 5th High Criminal Court on February 11, 2021. In the opinion as to the accusations, the prosecutor of the hearing demanded that Arif Aslan be penalized on charge of “membership in a terrorist organization.” The next hearing will be held on March 4 (February 11).
At the hearing held on March 4, 2021, the attorneys of Arif Aslan requested additional time to prepare their statements as to the accusations. The next hearing will be held on March 18 (March 4).
At the hearing held on March 18, 2021, journalist Arif Aslan, who was arrested for “membership of a terrorist organization” and served 8 months behind bars as part of this case in 2017, was acquitted (March 18).
