Eighteen journalists including 15 detained for over a year, stand trial for alleged membership of a terrorist organization facing up to 15-year sentences. Free speech groups say journalism itself is on trial. More updates to follow as the case unfolds this week
DENİZ TEKİN
Eighteen journalists, including fifteen currently in detention, stood trial for the first time 13 months after their arrest, stating that journalism itself is under trial. The accused are Kurdish journalists who asserted in the hearing that the government is trying to stop discussions on the Kurdish issue.
In his defense statement, journalist Serdar Altan, Co-Chair of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association, declared, "We are not the accused, we are the plaintiffs. We are standing up for journalism under pressure."
The group of journalists was initially apprehended at their homes on June 8, 2022, and formally detained a week later. They were charged with "being a member of a terrorist organization" for producing news, discussion, and cultural programs for overseas television networks. Their first hearing took place at Diyarbakir 4th High Criminal Court. The accused journalists and their attorneys were present in the courtroom.
Solidarity from journalism organizations
Representatives of several journalism organizations and human rights groups were in attendance to observe the trial, including representatives from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the International Press Institute (IPI), the Turkey Journalists' Association (TGS), and the Turkish Bar Association.
The trial took place under tight security, and due to the small size of the courtroom, a limited number of observers were admitted. The hearing began 45 minutes late, and upon the journalists' arrival in handcuffs, applause echoed through the courtroom.
Journalist Altan’s testimony
In his testimony, Serdar Altan, speaking through a translator in Kurdish, claimed the allegations against them are baseless and that their journalism activities are being judged through this trial. Altan also touched upon the intense pressure on Kurdish journalists over the last 30 years and stated that the journalists who raise the Kurdish issue are under intense pressure.
"We are standing up for oppressed journalism," Altan said. "We are not guilty; we are the plaintiffs. We are not repentant, and we hold our heads high here."
The trial continued after a half-hour break with the defense of journalist Ömer Çelik, who delivered his statement in Kurdish with the help of a translator. Çelik emphasized that journalistic activities were criminalized in this case and that the government is trying to silence journalists and prevent the truth from emerging. He stated that they were arrested for not bowing down to this pressure and for upholding the honor of journalism and the press.
This trial, Çelik asserted, signifies the trial of journalism, a statement which resonated with Serdar Altan's earlier remark about the oppressive climate for journalists in the country. The trial will continue with the testimonies of other accused journalists on 12 July at the Diyarbakır 4. High Criminal Court.
