Journalists’ conversations and published news items cited as evidence of charges in indictment against MA reporters Semra Turan and Tolga Güney, and JinNews reporter Melike Aydın, who were detained in house raids in İzmir on 13 February on suspicion of “membership in a terrorist organization”

NİMET ÖLMEZ, İZMİR

Mezopotamya Agency (MA) İzmir Office Head Semra Turan, reporters Delal Akyüz and Tolga Güney, JinNews reporter Melike Aydın, Gazete Duvar reporter Cihan Başakçıoğlu and Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) press officer Fatma Funda Akbulut were detained in house raids in İzmir on 13 February on suspicion of “membership in a terrorist organization.” The journalists appeared before the Criminal Court of Peace on 16 February. Aydın, Güney, Akyüz and Akbulut were placed in house arrest, while Başakçıoğlu and Turan were placed under an obligation to sign their name twice a week. Eight months after the investigation began, the prosecutor’s office decided not to prosecute Cihan Başakçıoğlu. The indictment against DEM Party press officer Funda Akbulut, which charges her with “membership in a terrorist organization,” was filed with the İzmir 18th High Criminal Court. The court rejected the case containing the charge of “providing financing for a terrorist organization” and conveyed it to the İzmir 2nd High Criminal Court. The indictment filed with the İzmir 18th High Criminal court is being examined. If the file is accepted, a date will be set for the first hearing.

Journalists charged with “membership in a terrorist organization”

The İzmir Chief Prosecutor’s Office has completed its investigation against journalists Semra Turan, Tolga Güney and Melike Aydın in 10 months. The indictment filed by the prosecutor’s office, which charges Turan, Güney and Aydın with “membership in a terrorist organization” was accepted the by the İzmir 13th High Criminal Court. The prosecutor’s office has cited the phone conversations the journalists, who all work in İzmir at the MA and JinNews, held with each other and their news sources, as well as news content in these conversations as elements of crime.

Turan’s news items considered criminal

The indictment against journalist Semra Turan cites a statement by witness Buse Aslan, identification by secret witness code name K8Ç4B3LIT5, witness Ümit Dikbıyık's statement and the content of news items by Turan published by JinNews and the MA as evidence of the charge. Turan’s news items titled “Orta Doğu ve Kuzey Afrika'daki kadınlar birlik kurdu: NADA" (NADA: A Union Established by Women in the Middle East and North Africa) and “Kadifekale'den Gündoğu'ya taşınan Newroz" (Newroz Moved from Kadifekale to Gündoğdu) and her posting her news items on social media were also considered grounds for the charge. The indictment also considers the small bank transfers from Turan to her colleagues and vice versa as a crime. The indictment also cites the recordings of conversations between Turan and her news sources as well as conversations about the news items. These include Turan’s phone conversations and news items concerning the tree felling at the Akbelen Frorest in Milas, Muğla, and the sit-in demonstration carried out by fired Agrobay Seracılık employees in Bergama, İzmir. These points were cited in justification of the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization.”

The first five pages of the indictment against journalist Turan were devoted to an evaluation of the establishment and aims of the organization.

A part of the indictment against Turan reads: “The [act has been established] through the contents of the entire case file including a digital investigation report against suspect Semra Turan; into the contents of news items published by suspect Semra Turan in JinNews and Mezopotamya Agency while withholding her name; HTS records, image examination reports, financial analysis report, travel information, search and confiscation reports, police search and identification report prepared by law enforcement, technical identification reports from the İzmir Chief Prosecutor’s Office case file number 2023/63394, criminal record, copy of identification documents pertaining to suspect Semra Turan. We request that the court try the suspect and sentence the suspect for the crime of membership in an armed terrorist organization as per the items of transfer cited above…”

Güney’s news conversations considered criminal

The indictment against journalist Tolga Güney charges him with “membership in a terrorist organization.” The prosecutor’s office has based the charge on statements by witnesses Buse Aslan and Ümit Dikbyık and secret witness code name K8Ç4B3LIT5. A large part of the indictment against Güney is devoted to the activities of the organization and its date of establishment. Witness Aslan said that she did not know who Güney was but had sent news items to TV networks and news websites “close to the organization.” Secret witness K8Ç4B3LIT5 stated that he/she knew Tolga Güney and claimed that Güney had carried out activities for the organization under the press committee of the KCK ideological field structure, engaged in activities for the organization in İzmir, contacted news sources in the Black Sea region through his affiliation with the Mezopotamya Agency and reported in line with the ideology of the organization. Conversations between Güney with other journalists and his news sources and his news items concerning environmental destruction titled “Felaketin başlangıcı,” (Beginning of disaster) “Eko-kırımın hesabı sorulur” (“Ecocide will not go unpunished”) were considered criminal.

Prosecution requests sentencing for Güney

A part of the indictment against Güney reads as follows: “The [act has been established] through the contents of the entire case file including contents of news items published by suspect Tolga Güney in Mezopotamya Agency while withholding his name; HTS records, image examination reports, financial analysis report, travel information, search and confiscation reports, police search and identification report prepared by law enforcement, technical identification reports from the İzmir Chief Prosecutor’s Office case file number 2023/63394, criminal record, copy of identification documents pertaining to suspect Semra Turan. We request that the court try the suspect and sentence the suspect for the crime of membership of an armed terrorist organization as per the items of transfer cited above…”

Similar indictment against journalist Aydın

The indictment against journalist Melike Aydın cites statements by witness Buse Aslan claiming that Aydın produced news items “following directions from the organization.” The indictment also cites records of 33 phone conversations between Aydın and her news sources or other journalists and presents detentions that were carried out by the police using these recording and the news items on university students protesting on the anniversary of the establishment of the Higher Education Council (YÖK) as evidence. The indictment also cites reporting by Aydın on the conditions of prisoners and their relatives; detentions, solitary confinement, ill prisoners and hunger strikes by prisoners in İzmir, as well as tree felling in Akbelen Forest.

The first hearing of the trials on separate indictments is to be held at the İzmir 13th High Criminal Court on 10 February 2025.