Journalist Vedat Örüç’s trial is adjourned until July
The third hearing of the trial where journalist Vedat Örüç whom MLSA represents in court, faces “defying the Law no. 2911 on Assemblies and Demonstrations” and “insulting a public officer” charges was held in İstanbul 18th Criminal Court of First Instance. Giving time for the defense lawyers to watch the footage in the CD sent by the Şişli Police and prepare their statements about it, the court adjourned the trial until July 1, 2022.
Journalist Örüç did not attend the hearing held today in İstanbul 18th Criminal Court of First Instance. His lawyers Şafak Aki and Merve Kurhan, however, were present in the courtroom.
Lawyer Şafak Aki was the first to take the floor at the hearing and denied the observations in the expert’s report against his client and argued that: “In the report, it is stated that my client was clapping. Even if that was the case, it does not constitute a crime for my client to be agreeing with the crowd. It is clear that my client was covering the event as a journalist, and he reported the event based on the information he gathered during this time. The news report he had prepared was submitted to the case file. We request additional time to view the footage in the CD sent by the police between hearings and to prepare our statements about it.”
Taking the floor next, lawyer Merve Kurhan also denied the observations in the expert’s report against her client and requested additional time to view the footage and prepare their statements about it.
Upon the prosecution’s request to wait for the completion of the case file, the court adjourned the trial, giving time for the defense lawyers to watch the footage and prepare their statements about it.