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Journalists SıK, Mavioglu Acquitted In Turkey

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  • Journalists SıK, Mavioglu Acquitted In Turkey

    JOURNALISTS SıK, MAVIOGLU ACQUITTED IN TURKEY

    PanARMENIAN.Net
    May 16, 2011 - 15:52 AMT

    Turkey's Kadıköy 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance acquitted
    journalists Ahmet Å~^ık and Ertugrul Mavioglu of charges of
    "violations of the confidentiality of an investigation" stemming from
    their two-volume work entitled "Understanding the counter guerrilla
    and Ergenekon" and "Who is who in Ergenekon".

    Hundreds of people joined a protest march towards the court house
    on the Asian side of Istanbul before the hearing. They lead the
    demonstration with a banner reading "We touch [certain issues]
    even if we get burned". They chanted slogans like "For my pen, my
    book, my honor", "Ahmet will get out and write again" or "Immediate
    freedom now".

    A number of public figures supported Å~^ık and Mavioglu, among them
    Press Institute Association President Ferai Tınc, Orhan Dink and
    Arat Dink as relatives of slain Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.

    Å~^ık stated that the trial lacked a legal basis. "The two volumes as
    subject to the trial are based on public sources. They were written
    after a thorough investigation of the indictment and additional
    evidence regarding the prosecution of the deep state. The books are
    based on our experience in journalism," he said.

    Mavioglu also claimed that they did not violate the confidentiality
    of the investigation and that the prosecution knew this as well at
    the stage of interrogation before the trial was opened.

    "Ahmet Å~^ık and I are not journalists who obtain information from
    MÄ°T [National Intelligence Agency], the police, the special authority
    prosecution, the CIA or from the other side of the ocean. We wrote
    this book by relying on public sources. The Prime Minister or the
    Chief of General Staff are not among our sources either. I request
    my acquittal".

    Thereupon, defense lawyer Fikret Ä°lkiz rejected charges of "violation
    of confidentiality" and demanded to drop the charges. Judge Gulden
    Filiz Tuysuz decreed for a lack of element of crime and decided for
    the acquittal of both journalists, Bianet reported.

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