A prosecutor has requested a prison sentence for journalist Mehmet Üçar on the charge of “membership in an organization,” based on articles he wrote and publications found in his home, during the third hearing of his trial in southeastern Turkey.
The case against Üçar, stemming from articles he wrote for the newspapers Yeni Özgür Politika and PolitikArt, was heard at the Batman 2nd High Criminal Court in Batman, a predominantly Kurdish city in southeastern Turkey. Üçar did not attend the hearing, while his lawyer, Şirin Şen, was present in court.
The hearing began with identity verification procedures. The court was first informed of the response to an address inquiry regarding Berfin Atlı, whose testimony had been requested at the previous session.
Following the identification process, the prosecution presented its opinion on the merits of the case. Citing news reports and articles written by Üçar, as well as magazines found at his home, the prosecutor requested that he be punished for alleged “membership in an organization,” a charge often used in Turkey in cases linked to outlawed groups.
The court also ruled to maintain an existing travel ban preventing Üçar from leaving the country.
Stating that they did not agree with the prosecutor’s opinion, defense lawyer Şen requested additional time from the court to prepare her final defense statements. The court panel accepted the request and adjourned the hearing until April 3 at 9:10 a.m.
