Diyarbakır - A court in southeastern Turkey lifted a travel ban on journalist Nurcan Yalçın at a hearing in her trial on charges of “membership in an organization” and “violating the law on the financing of terrorism.”
The fifth hearing in the case was held at the Diyarbakır 9th High Criminal Court. Yalçın and her lawyer, Resul Temur, attended the session. Representatives from the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) and the Diyarbakır (Amed) branch of the Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD) were present in the courtroom as observers.
The hearing began with a delay of about one hour. Journalist Kibriye Evren, who was heard in the case file as a witness, spoke first. Evren said she was a colleague of Yalçın and that they had worked together at the same news agency. She also stated that during the period when Yalçın was in pretrial detention, she was her visitor.
Evren said that because her own family lived far away, she had deposited money sent to her during her detention into Nurcan Yalçın’s bank account. She responded to questions posed in court.
Yalçın then addressed the court and requested the removal of the travel ban that has been in place for approximately five years.
Her lawyer, Resul Temur, emphasized that his client is a journalist and is being prosecuted for her journalistic activities. He requested that the judicial control measures, which have been in effect for a long time, be lifted.
After the defense statements, the court panel ruled to lift the travel ban and adjourned the hearing until Sept. 22 at 10:55 a.m. to allow for the completion of missing procedural matters.
