Cansu Pişkin, İstanbul – Ten people, including journalist İshak Karakaş, were accused of membership in a terrorist organization in İstanbul 28. High Criminal Court today. The charges concern social media posts they published which were critical of Turkish military operations in Afrin, Syria.
The ten defendants were arrested and detained in January 2018. They were released from detention in May.
Karakaş, Cevdet Taş, and Yaşar Yılmaz Altunbilek were present in court to face the charges. Despite the objections of the prosecution, the court chose to lift a judicial control order which had required the defendants to provide their signature to the authorities every week. Karakaş had requested that the court also lift the travel ban which he is subject to, on the grounds that his work requires him to travel frequently. The court rejected this request and adjourned the hearing until November 20.
Updated: December 5 2018
