OSCE representative Désir urges Turkey to release and drop charges against 25 media workers sentenced to prison, including journalists Aksoy and Taş
VIENNA, 9 March 2018 – Yesterday’s court sentencing against 25 media workers shows the immense pressure to which media are exposed in the country, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir said today.
Désir noted the importance of the fact that the court has acquitted all defendants from the charge of attempting a coup. “During the investigations no evidence was presented to tie the journalists to membership-related charges. Therefore, I urge Turkey to release the journalists and drop their charges,” the Representative said.
On 8 March, the İstanbul 25th Heavy Penal Court ruled to imprison 25 defendants accused for their alleged affiliation with the so-called “Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) media organization”. Journalist and former singer Atilla Taş was sentenced to three years, one month and 15 days in prison, while journalist Murat Aksoy was sentenced to two years and one month, both of them for “knowingly and willingly aiding an illegal organization as a non-member”. The two remain free until the decision of the appellate court, but their international travel ban has remained in place.
According to media reports, out of those sentenced to prison, 18 are already behind bars. A sentence of 7 years and 6 months in prison was ruled for defendants Erkan Acar Ali Akkuş Davut Aydın Multlu Çölgeçen Seyid Kılıç Muhammet Sait Kuloğlu, Ahmet Memiş, Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Cuma Ulus, Oğuz Usluer and Yetkin Yıldız, for membership in an illegal organization. For the same charge, 6 years and 3 months imprisonment was ruled for Cihan Acar, Hüseyin Aydın, İbrahim Balta, Yakup Çetin, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu Hanım Büşra Erdal, Habip Güler, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Bayram Kaya, Abdullah Kılıç, Bünyamin Köseli. Furthermore, Ali Akkuş, who was pending trial without arrest, was arrested.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.