ANKARA - Objections to the detention of 9 journalists who have been detained for two months are rejected on the same day. Lawyer Resul Tamur stated that it was not a coincidence that both objections were dismissed with the same content and grounds.

 

Mezopotamya Agency (MA) Editor-in-Chief Diren Yurtsever, reporters Berivan Altan, Ceylan Şahinli, Deniz Nazlım, Emrullah Acar, Selman Güzelyüz and Hakan Yalçın, and JINNEWS reporters Habibe Eren and Öznur Değer, for their journalism activities within the scope of the investigation carried out by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on October 25. They were detained in and arrested by the court on October 29. No indictment has been prepared yet against 9 journalists who have been imprisoned in Sincan Prison for two months. 

 

PETITIONS OF OBJECTIONS WERE NOT PROCESSED

 

The appeal against the arrests, filed on November 3, was not processed until 9 November. On November 18, the 20th day of the detention, a detainee evaluation process was carried out against the journalists without their lawyers, without any objections being processed. It was stated that the appeal petition was not processed on the grounds that the prosecutor was on leave, and it was revealed that the file was not sent to the Criminal Judgeship of Peace. While this situation was verbally communicated to the lawyers, an objection was filed against the decision regarding the continuation of the detention on November 26.

 

LAWYER TEMUR: NOT A COINCIDENCE

 

Resul Tamur, the lawyer of the journalists, stated that it is not a coincidence that the objections against the arrest warrant and the continuation of the detention were processed together on the same day, and that the court dismissed both objections with the same content and grounds. After the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office gave an opinion on the continuation of the detention of the journalists on December 15, Ankara 8th Criminal Court of Peace, which conducted a detention investigation on the journalists whose lawyers were not present, on December 16, decided to continue the detention of the journalists on the same grounds. 

 

REQUEST FOR DEFENSE IN THE PRESENCE OF A LAWYER

 

Nine journalists, who were connected to the detention investigation on December 16 via SEGBİS, stated that they would like to make a statement in the presence of their lawyers in the next detention examination. Berivan Altan, who made her defense first, said: "I gave a comprehensive defense both in the prosecution and judgement phases. I do not accept the accusations, I am a journalist, I was following the news. I was detained at my residence. I am being judged because of my journalism profession. I demand an indictment to be prepared in the file and to be released.”

 

'I WILL CONTINUE TO DO MY JOB'

 

Ceylan Şahinli emphasized that "I am a journalist and will continue to do my job". Condemning the confidentiality decision in the file, Diren Yurtsever said: “Our tweets, posts and interviews were included in the file by showing them as evidence. There is no concrete evidence about us. I have been working as a journalist for 8 years, I have written countless news. I am being prosecuted for my journalistic activities and demanded his release."

 

DECISION OF NON-PROSECUTION FOR JOURNALIST ACAR FOR SAME CHARGES

 

Deniz Nazlım stated that he did not engage in any criminal activity or any activity that would threaten the society. Emrullah Acar, who stated that all the crimes against him were abstract, reminded that he was tried on the same charges last year and that a decision of non-prosecution was given in the file.

 

'WE ARE UNJUSTLY ARRESTED'

 

While Hakan Yalçın demanded to be released on condition of judicial control, Selman Güzelyüz said: "We are unjustly arrested."

 

SUSPICION OF  SPOILATION OF EVIDENCE

 

It is noteworthy that the judge bases its decision on the detention of journalists on trial for their reports published on dozens of news sites on the "suspect of spoliation the evidence".

 

MA / Fırat Can Arslan