Journalist Nedim Türfent’s 8 year and 9 month sentence upheld by the Supreme Court of Cassation
Turkish Supreme Court of Cassation has upheld journalist Nedim Türfent’s prison sentence earlier last week. Türfent, whom MLSA represents in court, was sentenced to 8 years and 9 months on December 15, 2017 for terror-related charges although the witnesses have repeatedly admitted that their testimonies were taken under torture. Türfent was the first to receive the court’s notice, even before his lawyers.
Nedim Türfent, a photojournalist with the now-shuttered Dicle News Agency (DİHA), was arrested in Van on May 12, 2016 while he was following a news story. He was repeatedly harassed and threatened by army officials and anti-terror officers while he reported on human rights violations that took place during the curfews in Hakkari’s Yüksekova district.
During the first hearing of Türfent’s trial, where he faced “membership in a terrorist organization” and “making terrorist propaganda” charges, 13 witnesses out of 24 stated that their testimonies were taken under torture. Other witnesses --including secret ones-- have also claimed that the were forced to sign testimonies under pressure. Despite these clear violations of the right to a fair trial, Hakkari 2nd High Criminal Court had handed down a 8 year and 9 month prison sentence for journalist Nedim Türfent in December 2017.
Türfent’s lawyers had appealed the local court’s decision. Following this appeal, Erzurum Regional Administrative Court’s Second Penal Chamber has upheld the decision on 19 June 2018.