Deniz Tekin
February 20, 2024 - Vice News reporter Jake Hanrahan and cameraman Philip Pendlebury, who were first detained and then deported from Diyarbakır where they arrived to film a documentary, have had their defense statements made abroad included in the court file. The journalists, facing charges related to their work in Turkey, denied the accusations against them, emphasizing that they came to the country solely for journalistic activities. Pendlebury stated in his defense, "As a cameraman, I still don't understand what I did to break the law," while Hanrahan added, "Apart from this case, I have never been accused anywhere in the world for doing my job."
The case against Philip John Pendlebury and Jacob Philip Johngıngll Hanrahan, Vice News reporters who were arrested in Diyarbakır in 2015 while covering conflicts in districts such as Cizre, Silopi, Nusaybin, and Sur, and later deported, has been ongoing since 2017. The Diyarbakır 8th High Criminal Court overseeing their trial requested that their defense statements be taken by courts in the United Kingdom, where they reside. Due to bureaucratic issues and deficiencies, the journalists' statements were only obtained after six years, and the translations of their English statements were added to the case file.
'I came to Turkey to report news'
Reporter Jacob Philip Johngıngll Hanrahan answered 11 questions posed by the court. In response to questions about his profession and purpose in Turkey, Hanrahan, a journalist and documentary director, said, "As a journalist, I came to Turkey to report on the situation on the ground for a documentary to be broadcast on Vice News. We wanted to meet people living in the region, ask them how they felt about recent events, and how their daily lives were affected. To do this, we needed to go to the heart of the conflict, shoot in the streets, and conduct interviews with local people and key actors in the conflict. This is standard journalistic practice."
Hanrahan also addressed the purpose of carrying Turkish Lira and foreign currency found on him when he was detained, explaining that Vice News provided the funds for travel, accommodation, and food expenses, and it was natural to have this money on a business trip. Regarding the victory sign drawn in his notebook confiscated by the police, Hanrahan clarified that the notes and drawings in the notebook were part of his professional activities. "As for the victory sign, I know it's used by PKK members and some people during our trip. However, I'm sure the Court will acknowledge that this sign was not created for or by the PKK. In my country, this sign was immortalized by Sir Winston Churchill during World War II as part of the Allied Forces' campaign against Nazi Germany," he stated.
'Recording news sources is one of the basic elements'
Hanrahan responded to questions about the names and phone information of individuals alleged to be operating within the organization found in his notebook, stating that these were not members of any organization but news sources and journalists. He emphasized that noting background information and news sources for the organization being reported on is a fundamental element of journalism. He explained that using the word "Hewal" (friend) in messages on the phone was intended to facilitate communication with the local population, firmly denying any implication of showing sympathy for a terrorist organization by using words in Kurdish or any other language. He also stated that the images of armed organization members found on memory cards were taken for journalistic purposes.
The court asked Hanrahan why he wore a bulletproof vest and helmet in photos and videos taken with interviewed organization members. Hanrahan replied, "We wore bulletproof vests and helmets with 'Press' marked steel vests for our safety in high-risk situations in conflict zones. These are precautions journalists should take in such situations. Not taking these measures in an open conflict situation would be irresponsible."
'If we had completed the shooting and all the editing, there would be no such questions'
Hanrahan further noted that the only evidence against them in the trial was the footage they shot, adding, "We were in Turkey to report the facts in a balanced and unbiased manner. If we had been able to complete our shooting and all our interviews, and edit these images with our colleagues at Vice News, an independent and impartial news report would have emerged, and there would be no such questions."
'I have suffered the agony of having to face this trial'
Continuing his defense, Hanrahan said, "Apart from this case, I have never been accused of aiding a terrorist organization or of any wrongdoing due to my job. The allegations against me and the basis of the indictment are entirely wrong. I, along with my colleagues, suffered injustice and the agony of having to face these trials during the weeks we spent in a high-security prison in Turkey. The only thing I was trying to do at that time was my job as a journalist. I never had any intention to assist or support, let alone PKK, any organization. Being accused based on unedited, unpublished raw footage is absurd for me or anyone else. I ask the court to dismiss all charges against me and my colleagues."
Pendlebury: Recording these events does not mean I support the events I filmed
Philip John Pendlebury, who was asked three questions by the court regarding the charges against him, stated in his defense that he works as a cameraman for Vice News and their only purpose in coming to Turkey was to film a documentary about the events in the region, denying any connection with any organization in Turkey.
Rejecting all accusations against him, Pendlebury summarized his defense, "All the photographs and video footage mentioned in the indictment were created solely for journalistic purposes. These were the raw photographs and footage of events we witnessed before our detention. I would like to clearly state that I only observed these events as a journalist. Even if the question is about images and pictures of the PKK, there were also numerous images of other people in Turkey affected by the conflicts in the southeast. Recording these events does not mean I support the events I filmed. My job was to record the events for Vice News. I also have to clarify to the court that I have no criminal record (in any country) and have never been subjected to criminal prosecution before this case. I still don't understand what I did to break the law as a cameraman. I was just doing my job for Vice News."
Background
Vice News reporter Jake Hanrahan and cameraman Philip Pendlebury, along with interpreter Mohammed İsmael Rasool and their guide, were detained in Diyarbakır on August 28, 2015, while filming a documentary on the incidents in cities like Cizre, Silopi, Nusaybin, and Sur during the imposition of curfews. Based on allegations made against them, the British journalists and their interpreter were arrested following a raid at their hotel and accused of "knowingly and willingly assisting the organization," while the guide was released pending trial. The journalists, sent to Adana F Type Prison, were released and deported on September 3, 2015, following international reactions. Iraqi citizen interpreter Mohammed İsmael Rasool was released at a hearing on January 4, 2016. In the trial opened at the Diyarbakır 8th High Criminal Court, the defendants are charged with "knowingly and willingly assisting the organization, thereby becoming a member," "opposing the Law on Preventing Financing of Terrorism," and "making terrorist propaganda." They face prison sentences ranging from 15 to 67 years.
