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TURKEY COURT RELEASES JOURNALISTS IN CONSPIRACY CASE
WHNT.com
http://www.whnt.com/sns-rt-us-turkey-journalistsbre82b10y-20120312,0,1404975.story
March 13 2012
Ece Toksabay
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish court released four journalists on
Monday pending trial on accusations they were part of a conspiracy
to overthrow the government, in a case that has become a focus for
criticism of Turkey's record on media freedom.
Among the four released were Nedim Sener and Ahmet Sik, two well-known
investigative reporters held for just over a year in a top-security
prison outside Istanbul. Six other defendants, mostly journalists,
were still in custody.
Relatives, friends and colleagues of the freed journalists shouted
for joy outside the court and some cried and hugged each other on
hearing the news.
"Ahmet and Nedim are free", people shouted, shocked at the
decision. "At last."
Sik's brother Bulent Sik told Reuters: "Today's decision was a surprise
for Ahmet and Nedim. They didn't expect it either".
The defendants are accused of belonging to 'Ergenekon', an alleged
ultra-nationalist group accused by prosecutors of being behind
multiple conspiracies against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's AK
Party government.
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc welcomed the decision.
"One can only be glad at their release. It is saddening that they
spent 375 days inside," Arinc told a news conference following a
cabinet meeting in Ankara.
The United States, the European Union and rights groups have criticized
Ankara's prosecution of journalists which they say taints Turkey's
image as a role model for democracy in the Middle East.
Ilhan Cihaner, a deputy from the opposition Republican People's Party
(CHP) and a former top prosecutor, told Reuters outside the court
that foreign pressure had played a role in the decision.
"The gradually increasing pressure from the EU and foreign media had
a great effect on today's decision," Cihaner said.
Turkish jails hold nearly 100 members of the news media, one of
the highest numbers worldwide, although the government says that
journalists are not being prosecuted because of what they have written
or broadcast.
NEXT HEARING IN JUNE
The court based its decision on the length of time the defendants
had already spent in prison and the low risk of them being able to
tamper with evidence in the case.
Critics accuse the government of scare-mongering over Ergenekon
to silence opponents. The government denies any such motive. Rights
groups also criticized the length of time defendants remain in custody
awaiting trial.
Lawyers for the defendants argue that computer documents central
to the evidence against their clients were introduced by computer
viruses and that this had been confirmed by investigations conducted
by four universities.
If found guilty the defendants face a maximum of 15 years in prison.
The next hearing is scheduled for June 18.
Sener and Sik have already set out their defense, calling the charges
against them politically motivated and "a massacre of justice".
Sik has written a book about alleged infiltration of the police by
an Islamic movement led by reclusive theologian Fethullah Gulen, who
is living in self-exile in the United States and considered close to
parts of the ruling AK Party.
Sener is an award-winning journalist who has written about police
negligence in failing to prevent the 2007 murder of prominent
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.
Several hundred suspects, including retired senior military officers,
academics, lawyers and journalists have been detained in cases related
to Ergenekon.
(Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Writing by Simon Cameron-Moore; Editing
by Ben Harding)
WHNT.com
http://www.whnt.com/sns-rt-us-turkey-journalistsbre82b10y-20120312,0,1404975.story
March 13 2012
Ece Toksabay
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish court released four journalists on
Monday pending trial on accusations they were part of a conspiracy
to overthrow the government, in a case that has become a focus for
criticism of Turkey's record on media freedom.
Among the four released were Nedim Sener and Ahmet Sik, two well-known
investigative reporters held for just over a year in a top-security
prison outside Istanbul. Six other defendants, mostly journalists,
were still in custody.
Relatives, friends and colleagues of the freed journalists shouted
for joy outside the court and some cried and hugged each other on
hearing the news.
"Ahmet and Nedim are free", people shouted, shocked at the
decision. "At last."
Sik's brother Bulent Sik told Reuters: "Today's decision was a surprise
for Ahmet and Nedim. They didn't expect it either".
The defendants are accused of belonging to 'Ergenekon', an alleged
ultra-nationalist group accused by prosecutors of being behind
multiple conspiracies against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's AK
Party government.
Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc welcomed the decision.
"One can only be glad at their release. It is saddening that they
spent 375 days inside," Arinc told a news conference following a
cabinet meeting in Ankara.
The United States, the European Union and rights groups have criticized
Ankara's prosecution of journalists which they say taints Turkey's
image as a role model for democracy in the Middle East.
Ilhan Cihaner, a deputy from the opposition Republican People's Party
(CHP) and a former top prosecutor, told Reuters outside the court
that foreign pressure had played a role in the decision.
"The gradually increasing pressure from the EU and foreign media had
a great effect on today's decision," Cihaner said.
Turkish jails hold nearly 100 members of the news media, one of
the highest numbers worldwide, although the government says that
journalists are not being prosecuted because of what they have written
or broadcast.
NEXT HEARING IN JUNE
The court based its decision on the length of time the defendants
had already spent in prison and the low risk of them being able to
tamper with evidence in the case.
Critics accuse the government of scare-mongering over Ergenekon
to silence opponents. The government denies any such motive. Rights
groups also criticized the length of time defendants remain in custody
awaiting trial.
Lawyers for the defendants argue that computer documents central
to the evidence against their clients were introduced by computer
viruses and that this had been confirmed by investigations conducted
by four universities.
If found guilty the defendants face a maximum of 15 years in prison.
The next hearing is scheduled for June 18.
Sener and Sik have already set out their defense, calling the charges
against them politically motivated and "a massacre of justice".
Sik has written a book about alleged infiltration of the police by
an Islamic movement led by reclusive theologian Fethullah Gulen, who
is living in self-exile in the United States and considered close to
parts of the ruling AK Party.
Sener is an award-winning journalist who has written about police
negligence in failing to prevent the 2007 murder of prominent
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink.
Several hundred suspects, including retired senior military officers,
academics, lawyers and journalists have been detained in cases related
to Ergenekon.
(Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Writing by Simon Cameron-Moore; Editing
by Ben Harding)