Three journalists who were detained during a press statement in Ankara in solidarity with their jailed colleagues in Diyarbakır were acquitted on charges of violating Turkey’s Law on Meetings and Demonstrations. The fourth hearing in the case against Deniz Nazlım, Sibel Yükler, and Yıldız Tar was held at Ankara’s 71st Criminal Court of First Instance on Monday.
The charges stemmed from a July 5, 2022, press statement organized to protest the detention of 16 journalists in Diyarbakır. Police intervened before the statement could take place, detaining the journalists with allegations that they resisted dispersal orders, though defense lawyers argued they were apprehended before even reaching the site.
Defense disputes charges and cites constitutional protections
Yıldız Tar, the only defendant to attend the hearing, rejected the prosecutor’s allegations, stating, “I do not agree with the prosecutor’s opinion. I request my acquittal.” Defense attorney Muhammed Ünsal, representing the journalists alongside Gulan Çağın Kaleli from the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, argued that the accusations lacked legal basis.
“Surveillance footage and expert reports show that no dispersal warning was given. Furthermore, public statements like this one do not require prior permission under constitutional case law,” said Ünsal. He also emphasized that the journalists had been detained before the gathering even began.
Kaleli highlighted the broader context, asserting that the charges were retaliatory. “This trial only emerged after our clients filed complaints of torture and ill-treatment against the police. The very existence of this prosecution is a countermeasure,” she said, adding that the original police report contained false claims about the events.
Acquittal and background on the case
The court ruled that the accusations against the journalists did not constitute a crime and acquitted all three defendants. The press statement in question was initially organized by the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association, the Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform, and the DİSK Press Union, and had been deemed “illegal” by the prosecutor’s office.
The case drew attention from advocates for press freedom and human rights. Observers at the trial included journalist Hüseyin Aykol and members of the Media and Law Studies Association’s legal team. The defense also cited rulings by Turkey’s Constitutional Court to underscore the journalists’ right to assemble and express their views.
The incident reflects ongoing tensions in Turkey, where journalists and activists frequently face legal obstacles and police intervention in response to peaceful demonstrations.
