Deniz Yücel: ‘I Just Want a Fair Trial’

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Die Welt correspondent, journalist Deniz Yücel under arrest in Silivri Prison has sent a letter to Die Welt via his attorneys.

In his letter published in Die Welt, Yücel has criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for accusing him of being a "terrorist" where there hasn't even been any bill of indictment yet. 

CLICK - ERDOĞAN: DENİZ YÜCEL IS A TERRORIST, NOT JOURNALIST

Stating that he did not want to be handed over to anywhere and that his only demand was to have a fair trial, Yücel in his letter has written the following, according to the Deutsche Welle:

"Bizarre situation in a civilized world".

"In countries like Azerbaijan and Belarus it might seem normal that a high-ranking state authority makes a judgement publicly about a person who is arrested but has not stood trial yet and gives instructions to the prosecutors and judges in charge.

"But in a civilized world where principles of rule of law count, this is a bizarre situation".

"I do not want to be handed over to anywhere"

"I do not want to be handed over to anywhere. There is no place to which I could be handed over to as a citizen of Turkey anyway.

"All I want is a fair trial. I demand that the law of Turkey and the norms of the universal human rights and law are paid regard to and not not trampled on".

"I will follow the fight for democracy in this country"

"Such a trial can only result in an acquittal decision. I am definitely sure of that.

"I will leave the prison not from the back door but from the front door like I entered.

"Also in the future, as a journalist, I will follow the fight for democracy, justice and freedom in this country which could not be exhausted by an obviously illegitimate constitutional amendment". (EKN/DG)