Journalists’ trial postponed after expert report fails to fully document police violence
In the trial of journalists Sibel Yükler, Deniz Nazlım, and Yıldız Tar, who were arrested while attempting to make a statement in Ankara regarding the detention of fellow journalists in Diyarbakır, it was revealed that the expert report and incident records did not fully document the police violence they endured. The journalists, defended by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), are charged with violating the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations (Law No. 2911).
During the third hearing at the Ankara 71st Criminal Court of First Instance, only Yükler and Tar were present, while Nazlım did not attend. The court noted that footage of the incident had been submitted by Ankara’s police department, along with an expert report. However, Yükler and Tar both stated that the footage did not fully capture the violence they experienced.
‘The report doesn’t fully document the violence’
Sibel Yükler rejected the expert report, explaining that the selected video stills did not accurately represent the police brutality they faced. Yıldız Tar also highlighted the harassment she experienced during the incident.
Lawyer Gulan Çağın Kaleli, defending all three journalists, argued that the expert report was incomplete as it did not analyze all the requested footage, failing to fully document the extent of the violence. Kaleli also pointed out that police officers on the scene obstructed the recording of the violence by instructing, "Film over there, not here," and emphasized that both the incident report and indictment did not reflect the truth.
The court granted the journalists exemption from attending future hearings and postponed the trial to January 7, 2025, for further defense statements.
