Two journalists, Erdoğan Alayumat and Nuri Akman, who are both reporters for the shuttered pro-Kurdish dihaber news agency, were on trial in the first hearing of a case where they stand accused espionage and membership charges in Hatay on 2 February.
Alayumat is imprisoned in the case. The two journalists were detained while covering the news, on the basis of the photographs on their digital equipment and news reports. Nuri Akman was released later pending trial and under judicial probation measures.
The prosecutor accuses the two journalists of "acquiring secret state documents for purposes of military or political espionage" and "membership in a terrorist organization", demanding up to 45 years of imprisonment for the two journalists.They are accused on the basis of their news reports.
In their testimony in the court hearing, the journalists said they had done nothing but journalism. "I must have shared with an organization or a third country for this to be considered as espionage. My e-mail address, and where I've sent and what kind of document I've sent is obvious. Thousands of news reports similar to mine have been done before. Why has that happened if these were such state secrets?" Alayumat said.
The panel of judges ruled to keep Alayumat's arrest warrant in place. Judicial control measures for Nuri Akman will remain in place. The trial was adjourned until 25 April.
