15 journalists imprisoned in Diyarbakır; disinformation law passed in parliamentary commission; journalist İnci Hekimoğlu detained; appellate court upholds Nazlı Ilıcak’s conviction; Devrim Ayık and Mehmet Arslan convicted

 

15 journalists, 1 media worker imprisoned in Diyarbakır

 

15 journalists and one media worker, who were arrested on 8 June in raids carried out on several homes and offices as part of an investigation launched by the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, were imprisoned pending trial after testifying before a judge early on 16 June.

 

A total of 22 people, including 19 journalists, had been arrested in Diyarbakır and the northwestern town of Gebze as part of the operation. After eight days in detention, the detainees were finally referred to the prosecutor’s office in charge of the investigation on 15 June. The detained journalists reportedly exercised their right to remain silent when they were questioned at the police directorate earlier. After giving their statements to the prosecutor, they were referred a Criminal Judgeship of Peace later in the day. The journalists denied the accusations and stated that they were just practicing journalism in their statements to the prosecutor and at the court, which lasted into early hours of 16 June.

 

The judgeship ordered imprisonment pending trial of JinNews Director Safiye Alagaş, Mezopotamya News Agency editor Aziz Oruç, Dicle Fırat Journalists’ Association (DFG) Co-Chair Serdar Altan, daily Xwebün Managing Editor Mehmet Ali Ertaş, Xwebün editor Zeynel Abidin Bulut, Xwebün columnist Mehmet Şahin, journalists Ömer Çelik, Lezgin Akdeniz, Elif Üngür, Neşe Toprak, camera operator Abdurrahman Öncü, camera operator and video editor İbrahim Koyuncu, filmmaker Mazlum Doğan Güler, camera operator Ramazan Geciken, Remziye Temel and camera operator Suat Doğuhan. They were then transferred to the Diyarbakır Prison.

 

The journalists were charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” on the basis of the news content they produced for Europe-based Sterk TV and Medya Haber TV.

“Disinformation” bill clears parliamentary commission

Parliament's Justice Commission approved on 15 June 2022 a 40-article bill, which the government says will be used to fight disinformation. The bill, which was first introduced in Parliament on 26 May, is supported by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).

It is now expected to be forwarded to Parliament's General Assembly, which, given the parliamentary majority of AKP and MHP, is set to vote it into law. 

The bill criminalizes "spreading false information" on issues concerning security, public safety and order and introduces up to three years in prison for those who do so. Opposition parties, journalists' associations and freedom of expression groups have all said that such vague wording would open the door for the government to suppress any information that it dislikes as Turkey is headed for elections. P24 and 23 other freedom of expression and media freedom groups signed a joint statement on 8 June, saying the bill puts millions of Turkey’s Internet users at risk of criminal action for posting information with which the government disagrees. "Placed in the hands of Turkey’s highly-politicised judiciary, the law would become another tool for harassing journalists and activists and may cause blanket self-censorship across the Internet," the statement reads. 

The Justice Commission accepted several small changes in the text of the bill. They include reducing the time period during which corrections or replies to a piece of content should remain visibly published on a news website from a week to 24 hours. Corrections or replies will be published even when the piece of content in question was already taken down due to a court decision ordering its removal or access to it be blocked.

İnci Hekimoğlu arrested over social media posts from 8 years ago

 

Artı Gerçek columnist, journalist İnci Hekimoğlu was arrested early in the morning on 16 June 2022 in her home in İzmir.

 

Hekimoğlu’s lawyer Erdoğan Akdoğdu said that the journalist had been arrested on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” over four social media posts from 2014 and 2015 upon a complaint filed through CİMER, the Presidency’s Communication Center. Hekimoğlu was released later in the day after giving her statement at the police anti-terror department. 

Appellate court upholds conviction of Nazlı Ilıcak 

A regional court of appeals has upheld a prison sentence of 2 years and 6 months handed down against journalist Nazlı Ilıcak for “obtaining confidential information pertaining to the security of the state."

Ilıcak was originally charged with "disclosing confidential information pertaining to the security of the state or its interests for political or military espionage" under Article 330 of the Turkish Criminal Code for a newspaper column published on 2 January 2015 in the shuttered Bugün daily and titled “Askerî İstihbarat ve Tahşiyeciler” (The Military Intelligence and Tahşiyeciler). But the İstanbul 26th High Criminal Court, which oversaw the trial, convicted her of "disclosing confidential information pertaining to the security of the state" under Article 329 at the end of the trial in January 2019 and sentenced her to 5 years and 10 months in prison.

That verdict, however, was overturned by a regional court of appeals. At the end of the retrial that followed, Ilıcak was this time convicted of "obtaining confidential information pertaining to the security of the state" under Article 327 of the Turkish Criminal Code, in March 2021. The court sentenced her to 2 years and 6 months in prison.

78-year-old Ilıcak, who spent more than three years in pre-trial detention on coup charges in a separate trial, will be sent to prison once again unless the prosecutor of the appellate court objects to the judgment, dated 17 May 2022, which upholds her March 2021 conviction.

Journalist Mehmet Arslan sentenced to 1.5 years in prison

 

The latest hearing in a trial in which former correspondent for the now-defunct Dicle News Agency (DİHA) Mehmet Arslan is charged with “terrorism propaganda” was held at the Erzurum 3rd High Criminal Court.

 

Arslan attended the hearing via judicial video-conferencing system (SEGBİS) whereas his lawyer attended in person. Arslan denied the accusations and demanded his acquittal.

 

Presenting their opinion as to the accusations, the prosecutor asked the court to convict Arslan as charged. The court sentenced Arslan to 1 year and 6 months in prison for “terrorism propaganda.” The announcement of the verdict was deferred.

Ill prisoner Devrim Ayık sentenced to 12 years in prison

 

The first hearing in a trial where Devrim Ayık is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the İzmir 2nd High Criminal Court on 17 June 2022. Ayık’s file was previously separated from a larger case where he was on trial along with a number of co-defendants.

 

Ayık, who is blind in one eye and has been suffering from Crohn disease, attended the hearing from Eskişehir Type H Prison via judicial video-conferencing network (SEGBİS). Reiterating his earlier defense statement, Ayık demanded his acquittal.

 

The court sentenced Ayık to 12 years in prison, and ruled for the continuation of his detention. 

İsmail Saymaz ordered to pay compensation

The fourth hearing in the trial of journalist İsmail Saymaz, who is charged with “insult” over a column he wrote on an alleged incident of sexual abuse involving a religious group, was held at the Istanbul 35th Criminal Court of First Instance on 15 June 2022.

 

The hearing, attended by lawyers, was monitored by P24. The court ordered Saymaz to pay TL 3,480 (192 euros) in compensation on the charge of “insult” at the end of the hearing. 

 

Hayri Tunç charged with “inciting hatred and enmity” over social media posts

Journalist Hayri Tunç faces a new trial on the charge of "inciting people to hatred and enmity" over social media posts on the Maraş Massacre of 1978.

Tunç announced on his Twitter account on 15 June that the case stemmed from a Twitter post featuring a video interview. He said later that a Facebook post from 2014 on the same issue was censored by Facebook as well.

The Maraş Massacre refers to a campaign of violence perpetrated by right wing groups targeting Kurdish Alevis in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş. The week-long attacks left more than 100 people dead, according to official figures. Hundreds of houses and work places were also damaged. 

The indictment drafted by the Press Crimes Investigation Bureau of the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, claims that Tunç’s post “went beyond the scope of news reporting" and "incited hatred and enmity, posing an imminent threat to public safety.”

The indictment was accepted by the İstanbul 42nd Criminal Court of First Instance. The first hearing will be held on 6 October 2022.

In March, Tunç was detained by the police as he was covering Newroz celebrations in Yenikapı, İstanbul in connection with two separate investigations, including one into his social media posts on the Maraş Massacre. He was released after giving his statements. 

Journalist Metin Yoksu to stand trial for “terrorism propaganda”

 

An indictment has been filed by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against journalist Metin Yoksu on the charge of “terrorism propaganda.”

 

The indictment accepted by the Istanbul 23rd High Criminal Court cited a photo taken by Yoksu at a funeral for victims of a bomb attack on 20 July 2015 carried out by ISIS in the southeastern district of Suruç, and his social media posts that contain the word "Kurdistan" as evidence for the crime. 

 

The first hearing of the trial will be held on 26 October 2022.

Lawsuit filed against journalist Nebiye Arı

Journalist Nebiye Arı, who was briefly detained in December 2021 when covering a protest by a group of university students against high rents and nsufficient accommodation in public dormitories, now faces a trial on charges of "violating the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations" and "insulting a public official" upon a complaint by police officers who detained her. 

Arı said in a Twitter post on 14 June that the police officers filed complaints against protesters detained on that day as well. 

The first hearing of the trial will be held at the İstanbul Anadolu 39th Criminal Court of First Instance on 25 November 2022. 

The demonstration of students, who attempted to gather in capital Ankara from different cities on 12 December 2021, was banned by the governor's office. Arı was taken into custody during her coverage of the protest and was released late at night in the same day.

 

Investigation launched against BirGün editor Gökay Başcan

An investigation has been launched against BirGün newspaper editör Gökay Başçan over a news report about a tendering regulation for installment of eyebolts and buoys in bays. According to the article, the regulation would favor the Presidency of the Turkish Environment Agency, which was established under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s wife Emine Erdoğan. 

 

The Istanbul Anadolu 6th Criminal Court ruled for the removal of the news on the grounds of “libel” on 3 June 2022.

 

Following the order of the removal of the news, the Press Crimes Investigation Bureau launched an investigation against BirGün editor Başcan upon the complaint by Emine Erdoğan. Başcan was summoned to police station to give statement.

 

Aggravated life imprisonment sought for defendants of Güngör Arslan murder’s trial

A court in the northwestern province of Kocaeli has accepted an indictment into the murder of local journalist Güngör Arslan, which seeks aggravated life sentence for three defendants of the case. 

The indictment identifies Ramazan Özkan as the killer of Arslan, while accusing co-defendants Ersin Kurt and Burhan Polat of masterminding the murder. 

Arslan, the publisher and managing editor of the local Kocaeli Ses newspaper, was killed in an armed attack in his office on 19 February 2022. Arslan’s latest column dated 18 February 2022 was about alleged corruption in business dealings of the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tahir Büyükakın, giving the housing project of Kent Konuk in Kartepe to his friend, owner of Haldız Construction Company. 

Metin Gürcan released, for second time, in "espionage" trial 

Military analyst and Al Monitor columnist Metin Gürcan, also a founding member of the opposition DEVA Party, was released at the end of the latest hearing of his trial on the charge of “political and military espionage” on 15 June 2022.

The Ankara 26th High Criminal Court ruled at the end of the hearing to release Gürcan under judicial control measures, which ban him from traveling out of İstanbul, where he resides, for a second time.

Gürcan, who was arrested and placed in pre-trial detention since November 2021 on account of his contacts with and work for some diplomatic missions in Turkey, was released on 11 May 2022 under judicial control measures. The prosecutor, however, objected to the court’s decision, arguing that judicial measures would be an insufficient measure given the gravity of charges and severity of possible sentences. The Ankara 27th High Criminal Court, the next court of first instance, accepted the prosecution’s appeal, ordering Gürcan’s rearrest. Gürcan was rearrested and sent back to prison on 12 May.

2 journalists detained when covering demonstration in Bursa

 

Mezopotamya News Agency reporter Ergin Çağlar and JinNews reporter Rozerin Gültekin were taken into custody on 12 June while they were covering a march in protest of a visiting ban on Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

 

The journalists were released late in the evening after they gave their statements at the Bursa Directorate of Security. They were reportedly charged with “violating the Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations.”

 

In İstanbul, 12 people, including Demokratik Modernite journal employee Saliha Aras, were detained in police raids on 16 June. The detainees were reportedly charged with “violating the Law no. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations,” “terrorism propaganda” and “praising a criminal.” Aras and eight other people were released on 17 June, while three were placed in pre-trial detention.

Journalists attacked in Adana, İstanbul

Two journalists were attacked in the southern province of Adana on 10 June 2022 after trying to film an exchange between Mayor Zeydan Karalar and a local man during a public event. Mayor Karalar reportedly phoned the two journalists after the attack and offered them his apologies. 

 

In İstanbul, freelance journalist Serkan Gürgör was beaten by a group of employees at a construction site in İstanbul's Büyükada where he tried to take photos of an allegedly illegal construction work. 

 

Street artist İzinsiz convicted for “insulting the president”

The seventh hearing in a trial, in which street artist İzinsiz is charged with “degrading the symbols of state sovereignty” and “insulting the president” over his street art and tweets, was held at the İstanbul 20th Criminal Court of First Instance on 15 June 2022.

İzinsiz attended the hearing, which was monitored by P24. The prosecutor in their opinion sought conviction of the artist for “insulting the president” over his tweets while requesting that he be acquitted of the second charge.

İzinsiz’s lawyer Özcan Karakoç later addressed the court. Recalling the verdict of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on Vedat Şorli, which condemned Turkey for prosecuting a social media user on the charge of "insulting the president," Karakoç demanded İzinsiz's acquittal of both charges. 

Asked of his final word before the close of the proceedings, İzinsiz said, “I’m a street artist. Artists by their nature take social sensitivities into consideration in their works, regardless of who the political authority is. I had no intention to insult.”

In its verdict, the court sentenced İzinsiz to 1 year 2 months and 27 days in prison for “insulting the president” and deferred the announcement of the verdict. The artist was acquitted of “degrading the symbols of state sovereignty.”

 

Özgürlükçü Demokrasi retrial adjourned until September

The fourth hearing in a retrial of the now-defunct pro-Kurdish newspaper Özgürlükçü Demokrasi employees was held at the 23rd High Criminal Court on 14 June 2022. Sentences of both jail term and acquittal handed down on the employees were reversed by the Appellate Court.

 

The defendants’ lawyers Özcan Kılıç and Sercan Korkmaz attended the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

 

Reiterating their final opinion dated 7 April 2022, the prosecutor sought conviction against the newspaper’s owner İhsan Yaşar, responsible managing editor İshak Yasul, editors Mehmet Ali Çelebi, Reyhan Hacıoğlu, Hicran Urun as well as bookkeeper and secretary Pınar Tarlak for “membership in a terrorist organization,” “terrorism propaganda” and “printing or publishing terrorist group publications.” The prosecutor demanded acquittal of Mizgin Fendik, who was in charge of the distribution of the newspaper in pre-dominantly Kurdish district of Yüksekova, on the ground that Fendik couldn’t be held accountable for the newspaper’s editorial content.

 

Representing some of the defendants, lawyer Özcan Kılıç expressed their disagreement with the prosecutor’s final opinion. “Despite all the defense statements and evidence, the prosecution still presented the opinion in line with the indictment. Both in the indictment and opinion, a militaristic language was used,” Kılıç said. The lawyer demanded that the judicial control measures imposed on his clients be lifted, and that his clients be acquitted. The presiding judge adjourned the trial until 15 September 2022 to review the plea of defence submitted by Kılıç and Korkmaz.

Trial of journalist Rüstem Batum adjourned until November

 

The eighth hearing in a trial of journalist Rüstem Batum, who is charged with “insulting the President” and “inciting hatred and hostiliy,” was held at the İstanbul 5th Criminal Court of First Instance on 14 June.

 

Batum’s lawyer attended the hearing, which was monitored by P24. Co-plaintiff President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s lawyer didn’t attend the hearing.

 

Ruling for the execution of the arrest warrant issued for Batum who is living abroad to be awaited, the court adjourned the trial until 10 November 2022.

Özgür Gündem solidarity trial adjourned

 

The retrial of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey Representative Erol Önderoğlu, Turkish Medical Association (TTB) Central Committee President Şebnem Korur Fincancı and journalist Ahmet Nesin resumed at the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court on 14 June 2022.

 

This was the fourth hearing of the retrial, ordered by an appellate court that reversed the acquittals of Önderoğlu, Fincancı and Nesin. All three are accused of “terrorism propaganda” (TMK 7/2) “incitement to commit a crime” (TCK 214) and “praising crime and criminals" (TCK 215) for symbolically editing Özgür Gündem for one day in 2016 in an act of solidarity with the pro-Kurdish newspaper before it was permanently shuttered by the government.

 

P24 monitored the hearing, which was attended by Önderoğlu and the defendants’ lawyers.

 

Ruling to wait for the response to a rogatory letter issued for Ahmet Nesin’s statement to be taken in his current country of residence, the court adjourned the trial until 19 October 2022.

 

Fincancı and Önderoğlu’s lawyers demanded the recusal of the judges on May 2022, saying that he is no longer impartial. Murat Bircan, a member judge of the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court, was a parliamentary candidate for the AKP, which was revealed in the final hearing of Gezi trial. The defense lawyers’ request was rejected on the grounds of “intend to prolong the trial”. The lawyers appealed to the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court. The court board, chaired by judge Akın Gürlek, who was recently appointed as Deputy Minister of Justice by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, also rejected the lawyers' objection on 26 May 2022.

 

The request for recusal of the judge was rejected but judge Murat Bircan was not included in the delegation at the hearing on 14 June.

Trial of journalist Sadiye Eser adjourned until October

 

The 21st hearing in a trial of 34 people including journalist Sadiye Eser, who are charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda” was held at the İstanbul 6th High Criminal Court on 15 June 2022. Eser didn’t attend the hearing.

 

Ruling for the execution of the arrest warrants issued for the defendants to be awaited, the court adjourned the trial until 5 October 2022.

Can Ataklı’s trial for “publicly denigrating a section of the society” adjourned

 

The first hearing of journalist Can Ataklı charged with “publicly denigrating a section of the society” was held on 15 June 2022 at the Istanbul 16th Criminal Court of First Instance. Ataklı stood trial upon a complaint by the Rize Associations' Federation on the basis of his televised comments in “Gün Başlıyor” (The Day Begins) Program broadcast on Tele 1 channel.

 

Ataklı and his lawyer did not attend the hearing, which was monitored by P24. Rize Associations' Federation Deputy Kemal Ermiş, Board member Osman Arı and Head of Foundation of Rize Associations and Foundations Union  (RIDEVA) Recep Akdoğan attended the hearing.

 

Head of RIDEVA Akdoğan said, “The crime committed by the accused is obvious. We demand punishment”. The plaintiffs, Ermiş and Arı, asked for conviction on the basis of his remarks that allgedely "insulted the people of Rize."  The plaintiffs also requested participation in the proceedings.

 

Rejecting the request on the ground that they were not directly harmed by the crime, the court adjourned the trial until 20 October 2022.

 

In the TV program in question, Ataklı criticized the events that took place during the visit of İYİ Party Chairperson Meral Akşener to Rize on 20 May 2022.

Trial of Özgür Gündem adjourned

The 22nd hearing in a trial of now-defunct Özgür Gündem newspaper’s former Co-Editor-in-Chiefs Hüseyin Aykol and Zana Kaya, Responsible Managing Editor İnan Kızılkaya and Kurdish politician Hatip Dicle, who are facing the charges of “publicly denigrating the Turkish nation, the state of the Turkish Republic, the organs and institutions of the state” and “publicly denigrating military and security organizations of the state” over the news articles published in 2016 was held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 16 June 2022. The newspaper was shuttered with a decree in the same year.

 

Defendants’ lawyer Özcan Kılıç attended the hearing, which was monitored by P24. The court ruled for the execution of the arrest warrant issued for Hatip Dicle to be awaited, and adjourned the trial until 22 November 2022.

First hearing of journalist Reyhan Çapa's retrial held

The first hearing in a retrial of former Responsible Managing Editor for now-defunct Özgür Gündem newspaper Reyhan Çapan, who is charged with “not publishing the correction and response to the article in a proper way” was held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 16 June 2022.

 

Çapan and her lawyer Özcan Kılıç attended the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

 

Stating that the Supreme Court of Appeals reversed the decision on the merits of the case, Çapan said, “After the decision of reversal, the 19th Criminal Chamber of Supreme Court of Appeals rendered a precedent verdict about the publication of the correction. Due to this precedent, constituents of the crime impugned on my client haven't come to exist. Thus, we demand acquittal.”

 

The court adjourned the trial until 22 October 2022.

 

Çapan and Keskin were each sentenced to pay judicial fine of TL 50,000 by the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. Announcement of the verdict rendered for Keskin was deferred. The penalty imposed on Çapan was appealed by Çapan’s lawyers. The Supreme Court of Appeals reversed the decision and sent the file to a regional court on 19 April 2021.

 

Following the decision of reversal, the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance gave a ruling by means of simple trial procedure on 16 December 2021. A retrial got underway after Çapan’s lawyer Sercan Korkmaz objected to the simple trial procedure.

 

Journalist İnci Aydın appears before court

 

The first hearing of Yeni Yaşam newspaper Responsible Managing Editor İnci Aydın filed by Deputy Commander of Gendarmerie Forces Mustafa Çitil on the charge of “marking officials involved in the fight against terrorism as targets” was held on 16 June 2022 at the Aydın 2nd High Criminal Court.

 

İnci Aydın and her lawyer Sercan Korkmaz attended the hearing via the judicial video-conferencing network SEGBİS from the Istanbul Anadolu High Criminal Court room.

 

Stating that the writer is known in the news subject to the accusation, Aydın said, “The writer of the article shared his own views. He talked about a trial held in earlier times. Identity of the person who wrote the article is known and he is responsible for his views.” Rejecting the accusation, Aydın asked for her acquittal.

 

Aydın’s lawyer Sercan Korkmaz said, “The judgement of 'marking officials involved in the fight against terrorism as targets' is not legal in this case. Evaluating the people doing this job in a negative or positive sense does not constitute this crime. If she is accused of revealing the name, a praising article.as well might be seen under the same light. Korkmaz said that they also did not accept Musa Çitil's request to participate, asking for who wanted her client's acquittal.

 

Accepting Çitil's request to attend, the court granted Aydın exemption from personal attendance in the court room and adjourned the trial until 6 October 2022.

Journalist Zübeyde Sarı’s trial for her social media posts adjourned

 

The first hearing of journalist Zübeyde Sarı’s trial on the charge of “inciting the people to hatred and hostility” on the basis of her social media posts on 16 June 2022 at the Bakırköy 24thCriminal Court of First Instance.

 

Sarı and her lawyer were present at the hearing, rejecting the accusation. Stating that her posts, which were the subject of the accusation, were within the scope of journalism, Sarı asked for her acquittal. Emphasizing Sarı's lawyer also requested acquittal, emphasizing that his client is a journalist.

 

The prosecutor requested time from the court to present his final opinion. Accepting the request, the court adjourned the trial until 29 September 2022.

 

In the indictment prepared by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Sarı was accused of "provoking people of Kurdish ethnic origin against people of Turkish ethnic origin," via her social media posts.

 

Trial of artist Ferhat Tunç adjourned

 

The 13th hearing of a trial, where artist Ferhat Tunç is charged with “insulting the President” over his social media posts, was held at the Büyükçekmece 14th Criminal Court of First Instance on 14 June 2022.

 

The court ruled for the execution of the arrest warrant issued for Tunç to be awaited, and for the procedures with respect to receiving his statement abroad to be completed. The hearing was adjourned until 10 January 2023.

 

Public ads ban on daily Evrensel marks its 1000th day

A Press Advertising Agency (BİK) ban on Evrensel to publish public ads marked its 1000th day as of 13 June 2022.

On 18 September 2019, BİK imposed a public ad ban on the newspaper on technical grounds, including “bulk buying.” The appeals submitted to BİK by Evrensel following the ban were all rejected. The newspaper currently risks permanently losing its permit to publish public ads, a significant source of income for newspapers.

 

ETHA’s website blocked

 

Etkin News Agency (ETHA)’s website, was blocked by a decision of the Diyarbakır 4th Criminal Court of First Instance, on the ground of "protection of national security and public order." This was the second time access to ETHA's website was blocked in last 10 days alone. The agency's website was blocked 42 times in total.

At least 67 journalists behind bars in Turkey

 

Following the imprisonment pending trial of 15 journalists in Diyarbakır, there are at least 67 journalists and media employees who are in prison either pending trial or serving sentence in Turkey, as of 17 June 2022.

The full list can be accessed here.