The court has ruled to separate the case files for defendants Şeyma Kantarcı and Aysel Diler, and sentenced Münevver İlingi to 6 years and 3 months of imprisonment for the crime of “membership in a terrorist organization”

CANSU PİŞKİN, İSTANBUL

The 23rd hearing of the trial of 16 defendants, including journalist Haydar Ergül, in the “KCK Academy” case and on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the İstanbul 22nd High Criminal Court on 13 June 2024. 

Defendants Haydar Ergül and Münevver İlingi and defense lawyers were present at the hearing, which P24 monitored. 

New indictment against Ergül merged with the current case file

The presiding judge said that the indictment against Haydar Ergül bringing the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization” that had been filed on 17 April 2024 over witness’ claims had been added to the current case and asked Ergül for his defense statement concerning the merged case file. Ergül said, “I do not know the witness and his testimony is a lie. Demokratik Modernite is a legally published magazine. I request my acquittal.”

Attending the hearing via the judicial videoconferencing system, witness said “The Demokratik Modernite magazine was being produced by the organization as an ideological resource for the organization. I learned about the structure at the magazine from Osman Akın. Osman Akın said that Ergül had been assigned to the magazine by the organization and the magazine asked for articles from imprisoned members of the organization through their lawyers.”

Speaking once more against the witness’ testimony, Ergül said, “I know Osman Akın, he is the managing editor of the Yeni Yaşam newspaper. I do not know the witness. The witness’ statements are untrue.”

Presenting their final opinion on the merged case file, the prosecutor said, “As there is reason to believe that the defendant was assigned to the Demokratik Modernite magazine by the organization’s instructions, I request the court to sentence him for the crime of ‘membership in a terrorist organization’ and repeat the opinion I presented earlier.” In their final opinion presented at the hearing on 31 May 2023, the prosecutor had requested sentencing for Ergül and the other 15 defendants for the crime of “membership in a terrorist organization.” 

Ergül’s lawyer Özcan Kılıç said, “The Demokratik Modernite magazine is a legal publication that is still being published. Haydar Ergül contributes articles to this magazine under his own name. The prosecutor has said that except for intelligence from law enforcement, there is no tangible evidence that establishes the relationship between Ergül and the organization. The criteria for the impugned crime of ‘membership in a terrorist organization’ have not been established according to European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and Court of Cassation jurisprudence” and requested the acquittal of his client.

Lawyers for the other defendants also stated that elements of the impugned crime had not formed and requested acquittal. 

The court ruled to separate the case files for Jineoloji magazine employee Şeyma Kantarcı and DEM Party member Aysel Diler on grounds that there were other court cases against them. The court sentenced defendant Münevver İlingi to 6 years and 3 months of imprisonment for the crime of “membership in a terrorist organization” and acquitted all other defendants.