DENIZ TEKIN
The third hearing of journalist Sofya Alağaş's trial, accused of "membership in a terrorist organization" for her work as the news director of Jin News, lasted only two minutes, and her travel ban was not lifted. The trial was held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court. Alağaş did not attend, but her lawyer was present. A significant number of riot police officers were stationed outside the courtroom.
The court included a letter sent to the Diyarbakır Police Directorate in the case file, requesting the testimony of "Witness No. 1". The Diyarbakır Police Directorate reported that they could not reach this confidential witness.
Alağaş's lawyer, Gülistan Ataş, and the prosecutor took turns speaking, with the latter requesting the rectification of deficiencies in the case file.
The court decided to continue the judicial control decision barring Alağaş from leaving the country and accepted the excuse of her other lawyer, Resul Temur. The next hearing is scheduled for June 11.
Background:
Sofya Alağaş, while serving as the News Director of Jin News, was arrested along with 15 journalist colleagues as part of an investigation conducted by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. On June 16, 2022, she was arrested for the allegation of "membership in a terrorist organization." A separate investigation file was later prepared for Alağaş, culminating in a 383-page indictment accusing her of "membership in a terrorist organization." The indictment cited news visuals, headlines, language, and editorial policy of Jin News, as well as the access ban imposed on the agency's website, as evidence of the crime.
The news of Alağaş receiving a journalism award, her ownership of Jin News, the news published by the agency, and interviews she gave to the press were included as evidence in the indictment. The indictment alleged that the news headlines prepared by Alağaş directed readers to feelings of "violence, blaming the state, and sympathy for the organization," and accused her of conducting "PKK journalism."
In the first hearing of the case held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court on June 15, 2023, Alağaş was released on bail with a travel ban imposed.
