Dündar, Gül Trial Adjourned Upon Non-Compliance With Closed Court Decision

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 The trial of Cumhuriyet daily’s Editor in Chief Can Dündar and its Ankara Representative Erdem Gül has been adjourned until April 1.

The trial has been adjourned following the MPs not leaving the court despite the decision of the board to hold the trial in a closed court. The court has ruled to take legal action against the MPs non-compliance with the decision.

The first hearing of the trial has been held today (March 25) before 14th İstanbul High Criminal Court in Çağlayan.

In the hearing which has been attended by many observers to support the journalists, the court board had accepted the involvement of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) despite all objections of the defence lawyers. The board had also decided to hold the trial in a closed court.

The audience has reacted against the “closed trial” decision by chanting “What are you hiding?”

What had happened?

Prosecution was started as to the article published with the headline “Here are the weapons Erdoğan claim to not exist” on May 29 over “Procuring information as to state security”, “Political and military espionage”, “Declaring confidential information”, “Propagandizing terror organization”.

Chief Public Prosecutor Hadi Salihoğlu had declared the prosecution by press release.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had personally filed a criminal complaint and requested Dündar to be sentenced to one aggravated life imprisonment, one life imprisonment and 42 years in prison for “targeting state interests by using images contrary to facts”.

Erdoğan on a live broadcast on public channel TRT had said, "I guess the person who made this special news will heavily pay for it".

Dündar and Gül had been imprisoned as of November 26.

Upon their objection against arrest being rejected, they had made an appeal to the Constitutional Court over “violation of freedom of press and speech and the right to security”.

Upon reporter of the Constitutional Court delivering the opinion that “freedom of press and expression, right to personal security have been violated, their imprisonment is unlawful” as to Gül and Dündar’s application, Gül and Dündar’s file had been referred to the Constitutional Court General Assembly.

CLICK - AYM REPORT: ARREST OF GÜL, DÜNDAR UNLAWFUL

Constitutional Court General Assembly has ruled journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül imprisoned as of November 26 over MİT truck report subjected to violation of right.

CLICK - CONSTITUTIONAL COURT RULES JOURNALIST CAN DÜNDAR, ERDEM GÜL EXPOSED TO VIOLATION OF RIGHT

14th Heavy Penal Court has ruled release of Can Dündar and Erdem Gül following the “violation of rights” verdict by the Constitutional Court.

CLICK - COURT RULES RELEASE OF CAN DÜNDAR, ERDEM GÜL

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has commentated on the Constitutional Court’s ruling to release the journalists Gül and Dündar as “I don’t obey the court decision. I don’t respect it either”.

CLICK - ERDOGAN ON RELEASE OF GÜL AND DÜNDAR: DON’T OBEY OR RESPECT THE COURT RULING

(EA/DG)