Akın Atalay at Justice Watch

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Cumhuriyet daily newspaper Executive Board Chair Akın Atalay, who was sentenced to 7 years 3 months and 15 days in prison in Cumhuriyet trial yesterday (April 25), attended 56th Justice Watch today.

As reported by Cumhuriyet, Atalay was present in the 56th of the Justice Watch, which was initiated to support Cumhuriyet staff and its executive lawyers who have been arrested as part of the operation launched against Cumhuriyet.

56th Justice Watch was held in the area of Artemis statues at the entrance of İstanbul Courthouse’s Door C.

A statement for the press was made in front of the Door C following the watch. Making a speech there, Akın Atalay said:

“Law is on our side. Goodness is on our side. We will always continue to move within the borders of law. I’d like to say ‘I’m very happy’ but I can’t feel that way. There are lots of victimized people among us, one would be ashamed of feeling happy.

“As you know, they couldn’t charge us with being members of a terrorist organization but with aiding them. I would like to call on those who still haven’t noticed: How has the jurisdiction come to this point? If you still don’t get it, what else can we say? We will continue to be on side with truth, law and rights”.

What happened?

İstanbul 27th Heavy Penal Court announced its verdict in the eight hearing of Cumhuriyet trial yesterday (April 25).

The court sentenced 15 defendants to 81 years and 45 days in prison in total; acquitted three others and released Atalay.

Sentences

*Cumhuriyet Executive Board Chair Akın Atalay was acquitted of “malpractice” and sentenced to 7 years 3 months and 15 days in prison on charge of “aiding an illegal organization”. Atalay was released.

Orhan Erinç was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months, Murat Sabuncu to 7 years and 6 months, Kadri Gürsel to 2 years and 6 months, Güray Öz to 3 years and 9 months, Musa Kart to 3 years and 9 months, Aydın Engin to 7 years and 6 months, Hikmet Çetinkaya to 6 years and 3 months, Ahmet Şık to 7 years and 6 months, Mustafa Kemal Güngör, Hakan Kara and Önder Çelik each to 3 years and 9 months, Ahmet Kemal Aydoğdu to 10 years, Emre İper to 3 years 1 month and 15 days in prison on charge of “aiding a terrorist organization”. Bülent Utku was acquitted of “malpractice” and sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison on charge of “aiding and propagandizing for a terrorist organization”.

*Turhan Günay, Bülent Yener and Günseli Özaltay were acquitted.

*All defendants who were pending trial without arrest were released on probation.

*Files of Can Dündar and İlhan Tanır were separated. (EA/TK)