Sadık Topaloğlu imprisoned pending trial on charge of “membership in a terrorist organization;” Abdullah Kaya threatened by police commanding officer; final hearing in the Hrant Dink main case to be held in October

 

Journalist Sadık Topaloğlu imprisoned pending trial on charge of “membership in a terrorist organization”

 

Journalist Sadık Topaloğlu, who was detained on the evening of 10 July 2024 in İstanbul was placed in pre-trial detention on 13 July on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization.”

 

Journalist Topaloğlu, who was detained along with a friend while outside was taken to the İstanbul Provincial Directorate of Security. While Topaloğlu was held at the police station, the police raided his residence in İstanbul.

 

Topaloğlu’s computer was confiscated during the house search. A secrecy order was issued on the case file against Topaloğlu, who was held in custody at the police station for four days. Topaloğlu and his friend were transferred to the courthouse on 13 July 2024, after providing a statement at the police station. Topaloğlu was asked about claims in a previous court case against him. Topaloğlu and his friend were then transferred to the court with a request for their imprisonment on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization.”

 

The court placed Topaloğlu and his friend in pre-trial detention on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” and placed them in Metris Prison. Topaloğlu was later transferred to Marmara No. 5 Prison.

 

In a message he sent out on 19 July 2024, Topaloğlu said: “The reason for my imprisonment is a completely repeat case. This case dates back to 2019. They decided to arrest me with a new conspiracy. However, being arrested will never hide the truth. The path of truth is the path of love. My sincere respects and greetings to everyone who has been in solidarity.”

 

Journalist Abdullah Kaya threatened by police commanding officer

 

Journalist Abdullah Kaya has announced that he was threatened by the commanding police officer in Diyadin, Ağrı, on 17 July 2024.

 

Kaya stated that he had to swerve to avoid a taxi driving towards him while driving home and at that point the commanding officer outside the police station shouted at him, saying “Why are you staring at me, I will take your head off. Don’t stare at me again, I will break your limbs” and advanced towards him.

 

Kaya said that some police officers then came out and forced the commanding officer back into the station.

 

Journalist Mehmet Göcekli’s trial adjourned until December

The seventh hearing in the trial of Demokrat Haber Editor-in-Chief and Licensed Publisher Mehmet Göcekli on the charge of “terrorism propaganda” was held at the İstanbul 27th High Criminal Court on 18 July 2024.

 

Göcekli’s lawyer Ceren Kalı was present at the hearing, which P24 monitored.

 

Lawyer Kalı requested the lifting of the order for Göcekli’s detention.

 

The court ruled to await the execution of the order for Göcekli’s detention and adjourned the trial until 5 December 2024.

 

The charge brought against Göcekli in the indictment is based on posts on his personal social media account between 2011-2016, including news items published on Demokrat Haber and posts about news items on Demokrat Haber’s social media account between 2015-2018.

 

 

Azadiya Welat licensed publisher Ramazan Ölçen’s trial adjourned until January 2025

 

The 14th hearing in the trial of Azadiya Welat newspaper’s Licensed Publisher Ramazan Ölçen on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the Diyarbakır 11th High Criminal Court on 17 July 2024.

 

The court ruled to await the outcome of the writ issued to the Ministry of Justice for receiving a statement from Ölçen, who lives abroad, to await the execution of the order for his detention and adjourned the trial until 8 January 2025.

 

Final hearing in the Hrant Dink main case to be held in October

The 16-17 July 2024 hearings in the re-trial of public officials connected with the murder of Hrant Dink on charges of “premeditated murder” and “violating the Constitution” was held at the İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court.

 

Remanded defendants Veysal Şahin, Gazi Günay, Okan Şimşek and Muharrem Demirkale, defendant Ali Öz, who is free pending trial and lawyers for the parties were present at the sixth hearing on 16 July 2024, which P24 monitored. Remanded defendants Hasan Durmuşoğlu, Osman Gülbel and Yavuz Karakaya attended the hearing via the judicial videoconferencing system (SEGBİS) from the prisons where they are being held, while defendants Mehmet Ayhan, Bekir Yokuş, Mehmet Ali Özkılınç, Onur Karakaya and Volkan Şahin, who are free pending trial, attended via SEGBİS from their provinces of residence.

Remanded defendants Veysel Şahin, Okan Şimşek and Gazi Günay were brought into the courthouse from prison, while other defendants attended via SEGBİS.

 

The prosecutor had delivered their final opinion on the case at the previous hearing and requested two counts of aggravated life imprisonment sentence for then Trabzon Gendarmerie Intelligence Office officers Veysal Şahin, Okan Şimşek and Gazi Günay, then commander of the Trabzon Gendarmerie Regiment Ali Öz, then Intelligence Department Branch C deputy director Osman Gülbel, then Trabzon Directorate of Security Intelligence Office officers Onur Karakaya and Mehmet Ayhan, then Trabzon Intelligence Branch R commanding officer and branch deputy director Hasan Durmuşoğlu, and then İstanbul Gendarmerie Intelligence Branch Directorate officer Bekir Yokuş. The prosecutor had also requested NCOs Muharrem Demirkale and Yavuz Karakaya, who were then assigned to the İstanbul Gendarmerie Intelligence Office to be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of “premeditated murder.” The prosecutor had also requested the acquittal of former civil service chief inspectors Mehmet Ali Özkılınç, Şükrü Yıldız and then Trabzon Gendarmerie Intelligence Branch officer Volkan Şahin due to lack of evidence.

 

Hülya Deveci, one of the lawyers representing the Dink family, said that some public officials who bore responsibility for the murder had never been tried and some others had not been sentenced. Lawyer Deveci requested the court to issue a criminal complaint against Celalettin Cerrah, Ahmet İlhan Güler, Reşat Altay, Engin Dinç, Ercan Demir, Muhittin Zenit, Sabri Uzun, Hacı Ömer Ünalır, Metin Yıldız, Hüseyin Yılmaz, Ergün Yorulmaz, Ünsal Gürel and Cevat Eser on suspicion of “violating the Constitution.”

 

Representing the Office of the President as co-plaintiff, lawyer Timuçin Üzel said they partially agreed with the indictment and requested sentencing for all defendants for the crime of “violating the Constitution.”

 

Hasan Durmuşoğlu, Osman Gülbel, Veysal Şahin, Gazi Günay and Onur Karakaya, who delivered their defense against the prosecutor’s opinion rejected the impugned crimes and requested their acquittal. The defense statements of NCOs Muharrem Demirkale and Yavuz Karakaya, who were formerly assigned to the İstanbul Gendarmerie Intelligence Branch Directorate could not be received as their lawyers had presented excuses not to attend the hearing. Demirkale and Karakaya provided statements on their remand and requested their release.

 

Remanded defendant Okan Şimşek, defendant Ali Öz, who is free pending trial and lawyers for the parties were present in the courtroom at the seventh hearing on the trial on 17 July. Remanded defendants Muharrem Demirkale, Veysal Şahin, Gazi Günay, Hasan Durmuşoğlu, Osman Gülbel and Yavuz Karakaya attended via (SEGBİS) from the prisons where they are held, while defendants Mehmet Ayhan, Bekir Yokuş, Mehmet Ali Özkılınç, Onur Karakaya and Volkan Şahin, who are free pending trial, attended through SEGBİS from their provinces of residence.

 

Remanded defendant Okan Şimşek and defendants Mehmet Ayhan, Bekir Yokuş and Ali Öz, who are free pending trial, requested their acquittal in their defense statements.

 

The court ruled to keep the imprisoned defendants in pre-trial detention and allowed Ali Öz, who is under house arrest, three days of leave over his request over his mother’s illness. The court ruled to receive the defense statements of remanded defendants Yavuz Karakaya and Muharrem Demirkale at the next hearing and adjourned the trial until 11 October 2024.

 

 

 

Journalist Ayşe Kara’s retrial adjourned until December

 

The second hearing in the retrial of journalist Geşbun Ayşe Kara on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court on 16 July 2024.

 

Kara and her lawyer presented excuses not to attend the hearing.

 

The court adjourned the trial until 3 December 2024 for missing elements in the case file to be completed.

 

At least 27 journalist and media workers in prison

Following the imprisonment of Sadık Topaloğlu, as of 19 July 2024, there are at least 27 journalists and media workers in prison in Turkey, either in pre-trial detention or serving a sentence.

The full list can be accessed here.