Expression Interrupted

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.

Prosecutor demands sentence for former TV10 staffer Kemal Demir

Prosecutor demands sentence for former TV10 staffer Kemal Demir

Kemal Demir and Kemal Karagöz are charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” in the trial. Court is expected to issue its judgment at the next hearing, set for 16 December

 

CANSU PİŞKİN, ISTANBUL

 

The 10th hearing of a trial in which Kemal Demir and Kemal Karagöz, two former employees of TV10, which was closed under a statutory decree in 2016, are charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” was held at the Istanbul 28th High Criminal Court on 28 October 2021.

 

P24 monitored the hearing. Demir and Karagöz, who are exempt from personally appearing in court, were represented in the courtroom by their lawyers.

 

The prosecutor, who submitted their final opinion to the court one day ahead of the hearing, demanded Karagöz’s acquittal for lack of sufficient and conclusive evidence while asking the court to sentence Demir for “aiding a terrorist organization without being its member” pursuant to Article 220/7 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

 

In their final opinion, the prosecutor argued that Demir, “while not being a member of the PKK/KCK-PYD/YPG armed terrorist organization, he personally assisted in the procurement of studio equipment for a TV channel to be established on behalf of the organization.”

 

Demir’s lawyer requested a continuance to present his client’s final defense statement. Granting Demir additional time, the court adjourned the trial until 16 December 2021.

 

Demir and Karagöz were arrested in November 2017. The criminal judgeship of peace they were referred to on 1 December 2017 ruled to jail Demir pending trial and sent him to Silivri Prison while it released Karagöz under judicial control measures.


In the first hearing of the case against Demir and Karagöz, held on 3 July 2018, the 28th High Criminal Court of Istanbul decided to send the case file to a court in Mersin province for lack of jurisdiction. However, when the court in Mersin also issued a similar decision, the file was sent to the Supreme Court of Appeals, which subsequently held that the Istanbul 28th High Criminal Court was authorized to oversee the case. The trial court, which examined the file without holding a hearing, ruled for Demir’s release pending trial on 8 February 2019.

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