ANKARA- The court issued a release order for 9 MA and JINNEWS reporters accused of journalism activities in the first session.

 

The first hearing of 12 journalists, including Mezopotamya Agency (MA) Editor-in-Chief Diren Yurtsever, at the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court continued with the prosecution's submissions. The prosecution demanded the continuation of the detention of the journalists on the grounds that the evidence had been blacked out and the suspects had escaped, and that the secret witness had not yet been heard.

 

Afterwards, lawyer Resul Temur took the floor and pointed out that the prosecution tried to identify the journalists together with the law enforcement. Temur said: “We do not believe that any prosecutor has taken the phrase 'so-called' as training. He does this in the political arena. This is one of the main proofs that this file was prepared with legal motives."

 

Expressing that they are faced with an exemplary censorship file, Temur said: “They are here because they have not done state advertising. In order to reveal the truth, it is necessary to go to the other side and look at the state. That's what these journalists do. The Kurdish press has been in the Free Press school for 40 years because it got rid of state advertising."

 

Announcing its interim decision after the adjournment, the court issued a release order for MA Editor-in-Chief Diren Yurtsever, MA reporters Deniz Nazlım, Selman Gözelyüz, Emrullah Acar, Ceylan Şahinli, Hakan Yalçın and Berivan Altan. The court decided to continue the detention of Hamdullah Bayram. In addition to the secret and public witnesses who were not heard, the court decided to listen to the next hearing as a witness of MA Concession Holder Ferhat Çelik.

 

THE HEARING IS DELAYED TO JULY 5

 

The court decided to ask the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office whether there is an investigation regarding Ma and Jinnews, and adjourned the hearing to July 5.