Rabia Çetin
The third hearing of the retrial involving Hüseyin Aykol, Ayşe Batumlu Kaya, Eren Keskin, and Reyhan Çapan, accused of "making terrorist propaganda" and "openly inciting to commit crimes" for their articles in the now-closed Özgür Gündem newspaper, was held at the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court on Feb 20. The newspaper was shut down by a statutory decree.
Representatives from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), represented by Erol Önderoğlu, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), represented by Özgür Öğret, and P.E.N. International Writers Association monitored the hearing.
Hüseyin Aykol participated in the hearing via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBIS), while Reyhan Çapan, Eren Keskin, and Ayşe Batumlu Kaya were absent due to reported excuses. The defendants' lawyer, Özcan Kılıç, was present at the hearing.
At the end of the brief hearing, the court accepted writer Akyol's request to be exempted from attending future hearings. It decided to receive statements regarding the consolidation of Reyhan Çapan and Eren Keskin's cases and to inquire about the status of another case involving Ayşe Batumlu Kaya at the Court of Appeals, postponing the hearing to June 6, 2024.
