Daily Taraf Editor Demir Faces 5 Years in Prison

Fikret Seçen, Prosecutor of the Republic in İstanbul finalizes investigation against journalist Demir, upon the request of the Armed Forces Chief of Staff and indicts the responsible editor of daily Taraf with violating  Article 329 of Turkish Penal Code.

Demir is threatened with 5 years in prison if found guilty by İstanbul’s 13th High Criminal Court.

Daily Taraf newspaper had criticized the military authorities with negligence during the Kurdish guerrilla PKK raid in October on Aktütün gendarme post in the rugged mountaneous area in the southeast Hakkari province countryside. During raid 17 foot soldiers had lost their lives. Local military authorities were sharply criticized for having neglected the necessary defence measures in spite of receiving intelligence days before the attack.

Taraf, today appeared with the headlines challenging to “turn the bar to a tribune for demanding the accounts for the lives of 17 soldiers.”

In his indcitment, prosecutor Seçen charges the newspaper with violating the Chief of Staff’s Military Tribunal's order to ban publication about the Aktütün incident.

The prosecutor charges responsible editor Demir with “revealing information on state security” and thus vioalitng Article 329 of  the Turkish Penal Code.

The military court ban had followed heavy threats by the Turkish Armed Forces Chief of Staff General İlker Başbuğ, who instead of responding the criticisms warned those “who leaked and used the secret information” with punishment.(EÖ/EK)