Deniz Tekin
13 June, Diyarbakır - In the trial of journalist Dicle Müftüoğlu, the prosecutor has requested a prison sentence of up to 15 years on charges of "membership in a terrorist organization."
The fourth hearing of Müftüoğlu's case, who is the co-chair of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) and an editor at Mezopotamya Agency (MA), was held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court. Müftüoğlu faces charges of "forming and leading an organization" and "membership in an organization," which could result in a sentence of up to 37.5 years in prison. She attended the hearing with her lawyer.
Observers included Human Rights Watch (HRW) Turkey Researcher Emma Sinclair-Webb, DİSK Basın-İş Diyarbakır Regional Representative Hakkı Boltan, and Ezio Menzione from Norwegian PEN.
During the hearing, Müftüoğlu stated she would not make a statement at this stage. The prosecutor reiterated the charges from the indictment, asserting that Müftüoğlu had received training within the "KCK Turkey Structure" and that witness testimonies were reliable. The prosecutor argued that Müftüoğlu's defense was an attempt to avoid conviction, claiming it was impossible for her to legally travel to the organization’s camps in Northern Iraq, thus dismissing her defense.
The prosecutor highlighted the consistency between confidential and open witness testimonies, alleging that Müftüoğlu maintained contact with individuals involved in similar crimes and had established an organic link with the organization.
Müftüoğlu requested time to prepare her defense. Her lawyer, Resul Temur, urged the prosecutor to reconsider the main points of the indictment. Temur presented documents proving Müftüoğlu was in Diyarbakır during the alleged crime dates, which he said were not considered in the indictment. He also requested the lifting of her travel ban.
The court granted time for Müftüoğlu and her lawyer to prepare their defense, adjourning the trial to October 24. The travel ban on Müftüoğlu remains in place.
