turkey demands life for journalists
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

in coup bid trial

Turkey demands life for journalists

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Turkey demands life for journalists

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan reviews a guard of honour as he arrives to the Turkish Parliament in Ankara.
Ankara - Arab Today

Turkish prosecutors have demanded life sentences for three veteran Turkish journalists on trial over accusations of links to the 2016 failed coup, in a case that has raised new concerns for freedom of speech in the country.

The brothers Ahmet and Mehmet Altan and prominent commentator Nazli Ilicak are charged with violating the Turkish constitution in the trial, which began in June at the Istanbul criminal court.

They are accused of links to US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen who Ankara says masterminded the failed bid to oust Erdogan on July 15 last year.

Gulen denies ties to the incident, which left 249 people dead, not including the plotters.

The journalists have been charged with having foreknowledge of the coup bid and being involved in the sending of subliminal messages it was to happen, including an October 2015 advertising campaign by the now defunct pro-Gulen newspaper Zaman.

All three reject the charges.

Ilicak, 73, was one of the very first journalists arrested in July after the coup bid. Briefly an MP from 1999, she wrote for several dailies including Hurriyet.

Ahmet Altan, 67, is a novelist and journalist who has written for some of Turkey’s leading dailies including Hurriyet and Milliyet as well as founding the now closed opposition daily Taraf.

Mehmet Altan, 64, has written books on Turkish politics. Both were detained in early September although Ahmet Altan was released in mid-September before rapidly being re-arrested.

In the same case, prosecutors also demanded life sentences for former Zaman newspaper marketing manager Yakup Simsek, police academy instructor Sukru Tugrul Ozsengul and Zaman layout designer Fevzi Yazici.

The Altan brothers and Ilicak are also accused of appearing together on a TV show on a pro-Gulen channel just before the coup bid and issuing a message that the attempted overthrow was in the offing.

The case is separate to the trial 17 current and former writers, cartoonists and executives from the opposition Cumhuriyet (“Republic”) daily on charges supporting terror groups.

Four of the suspects are still behind bars, including investigative reporter Ahmet Sik, and the trial is seen as a critical test of press freedom. The next hearing in that case is December 25

Turkey ranks 155 on the latest Reporters Without Borders world press freedom index, below Belarus and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the P24 press freedom website, there are 153 journalists behind bars in Turkey, most of whom were detained under the state of emergency imposed after the coup bid.

Source: AFP

 

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

turkey demands life for journalists turkey demands life for journalists

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

turkey demands life for journalists turkey demands life for journalists

 



GMT 05:49 2017 Thursday ,07 December

Real deal Ronaldo set for fifth Ballon d'Or

GMT 08:37 2017 Thursday ,19 October

Singer Mirian Clinic creates masks for her body

GMT 21:54 2017 Monday ,20 February

EU pushes migration talks with Tunisia, Egypt

GMT 02:18 2018 Wednesday ,03 January

South Korea proposes high-level talks with North

GMT 05:40 2017 Thursday ,14 December

Dollar drops before Fed, after Alabama poll

GMT 12:21 2016 Monday ,27 June

Paris thieves steal 3m euros in luxury watches

GMT 14:01 2016 Thursday ,29 September

Disney announces live-action remake of 'The Lion King'

GMT 18:04 2017 Thursday ,26 October

HM King congratulates Chinese President

GMT 11:16 2017 Tuesday ,17 January

Turkey closer to bolstering Erdogan's power

GMT 08:11 2017 Thursday ,09 November

HRH Premier condoled by Kuwait's Crown Prince

GMT 11:04 2016 Wednesday ,23 November

In independent music scene

GMT 12:40 2017 Sunday ,24 September

HM King congratulates Guinea-Bissau president
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday