Journalists and academics bear the brunt of the massive crackdown on freedom of expression in Turkey. Scores of them are currently subject to criminal investigations or behind bars. This website is dedicated to tracking the legal process against them.
The prosecutor, who demanded conviction for Metina for “membership in a terrorist organization,” objected to the court's acquittal judgment
BİRCAN DEĞİRMENCİ, DİYARBAKIR
The final hearing of the trial in which Jin News editor and Kurdish PEN member Roza Metina was charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” under Article 314/2 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) was held at the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court on 12 October 2021. The case was launched within the scope of the investigation against the Democratic Society Congress (DTK).
P24 monitored the hearing, at the end of which the court ruled for Metina’s acquittal. However, the prosecution objected to Metina’s acquittal.
In their final opinion submitted to the court during the previous hearing, the prosecutor claimed that Metina was a “DTK delegate” and accused her of “acting together with other DTK members and destroying the unity and integrity of the state in order to ensure the so-called Kurdish national unity on the territories of four countries,” demanding a prison sentence of up to 15 years.
Metina did not attend the final hearing. She was represented by her lawyer, Resul Temur. Addressing the court in response to the prosecutor’s final opinion, Temur stated that his client has taken part as a speaker in many events as a writer, but she did not participate in any event as a DTK delegate.
Asserting that the accusation in the prosecutor’s final opinion was not based on any concrete evidence, Temur said: “In order for us to make a defense statement, the prosecutor's final opinion needs to provide evidence and grounds [for their claims].” Also pointing out that in a number of legal precedents by regional courts of appeal, being a DTK delegate did not prove “membership in a terrorist organization,” Temur requested his client’s acquittal.
Issuing its judgment without taking a recess for deliberation, the court ruled for Metina’s acquittal on the grounds that the alleged crime was not committed by the journalist.
The prosecution objected to Metina’s acquittal, appealing against the trial court’s judgment with the regional court of justice the same day.