EYLEM SONBAHAR
A Turkish court has rejected requests for the return of digital materials belonging to journalists Mehmet Kamış and Ali Çolak, who were released on judicial control in July. The Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court, which is handling their trial, also decided to extend the existing judicial control measures and adjourned the proceedings to Feb. 13, 2025.
Kamış, former deputy editor-in-chief of the now-closed Zaman newspaper, and Çolak, the paper’s former arts and culture editor, face charges of "attempting to overthrow the Turkish Grand National Assembly or prevent it from performing its duties," "attempting to overthrow the Turkish government or prevent it from performing its duties," "attempting to overthrow the constitutional order," and "membership in a terrorist organization." Their trial has been ongoing, with the latest session marking the 24th hearing in this case.
At the hearing, which Kamış and Çolak attended with their lawyers, witness Nuretdin Memur testified via Turkey’s SEGBIS video-conferencing system. Memur stated that he has known Kamış since their university years and claimed, "I have known him to be part of the FETÖ structure since then; he even rose to deputy editor-in-chief at Zaman." Kamış disputed the witness's statements, saying, "I knew him as a friend, but we were not involved in any organization. My work is journalism."
Kamış’s lawyer, Osman Yedekçi, argued that the witness's claims were based on personal opinion and lacked concrete evidence of organizational activity. Yedekçi called for the return of Kamış’s digital materials and for an end to the requirement that Kamış sign in with authorities as part of his judicial control. "His professional work should not be treated as organizational activity," Yedekçi said.
The prosecution requested the continuation of the judicial control measures and asked for the testimonies of witnesses who have not yet been heard.
The court ultimately ruled to maintain the travel ban and the requirement for Kamış and Çolak to sign in every two weeks. It also denied the return of their digital materials and ordered that detention orders for other defendants in the case remain in effect. The trial was rescheduled for Feb. 13, 2025, at 11:15 a.m.
Background on the case
Kamış and Çolak were originally defendants in the high-profile "Altans Case" alongside prominent journalists and intellectuals critical of the Turkish government. Their case was separated on Sept. 19, 2017, from the main proceedings, which involved other journalists linked to Zaman, a newspaper shuttered following accusations of ties to the Gülen movement. Kamış, who was wanted under an arrest warrant, was detained in İzmir in November 2023 and subsequently transferred to Istanbul, where he was jailed over alleged "flight risk." Çolak turned himself in on July 9, 2024, and was detained the same day. Detention orders for eight other defendants in the case remain outstanding.
