Journalists Emrah Erdoğan and Rojin Akın are facing charges for their news reporting and interviews in the northern region of Syria, Rojava, during the ongoing conflict. The prosecution has called for their punishment on the grounds of "membership in an organization" in a hearing held on 7 February.
The second hearing of the trial against journalists Emrah Erdoğan and Rojin Akın was held today at the Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court. The case against Erdoğan and Akın stems from their reporting and photography in Rojava, the northern part of Syria, during the Syrian War in 2015. They are accused of "membership in an organization." The hearing was attended by numerous journalists, but the defendant journalists did not participate.
Journalist Hayri Demir, testifying via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS) as a witness, stated that he was acquitted in a similar case in Ankara. He recounted how, in 2015, many journalists from Turkey went to Syria, and that all journalists at the time entered Syria clandestinely through smugglers. Demir mentioned that the images in question were obtained through theft, explaining that only the memory cards were stolen by burglars who entered his home after he returned from Syria. These cards later surfaced during the investigation. Demir also pointed out that his complaint regarding the theft has been ongoing for seven years without resolution.
The trial prosecutor reiterated their opinion, seeking punishment for the accused journalists on charges of "membership in an organization."
The court decided to continue the judicial control measures against the defendants, to wait for the execution of the arrest warrant against Erdoğan, and to give the defendants until the next hearing for their defense.
The next hearing is scheduled for April 3, 2024, at 11:30 AM.
Background:
Rojin Akın had traveled to Rojava in 2015 for her book project on Yazidi women kidnapped by ISIS, while Emrah Erdoğan went there to report for ETHA news. In March 2017, a subsequent investigation led to the detention of journalists Hayri Demir, Emrah Erdoğan, and Rojin Akın. The case against them was based on their interviews, photographs taken, and social media posts from their time in the Rojava region in 2015.
Rojin Akın is also a co-author of the book "It's Not What You Think: Being a Child in Southeastern Turkey in the '90s."
