KCK Press Case to Continue on May 9

* "Truths cannot be imprisoned"

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The 13th hearing of the KCK (Kurdish Communities Union) Press case, where 46 journalists have been tried for seven years, was held at the İstanbul 3rd Heavy Penal Court today (January 11).

Defendants Evrim Kepenek and Nuri Fırat, who have been tried without being arrested, and their attorneys attended the hearing.

Attorney Özcan Kılıç requested that the result of the case, which was filed at the İstanbul 26th Penal Court of First Instance against law enforcement officers on the allegation that "they organized a conspiracy against the journalists tried in the KCK Press case," be questioned.

Case has been continuing since 2011

The court board of the İstanbul 3rd Heavy Penal Court ruled that the result of the aforementioned case be questioned from the İstanbul 26th Penal Court of First Instance. The court board adjourned the hearing to May 9, 2019.

About the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) Press Case

In December 2011, 46 workers were taken into custody and 32 of them were arrested in the police raid aiming at Kurdish media outlets, including Dicle News Agency, Özgür Gündem, Azadiya Welat, Demokratik Modernite and Fırat Distribution.

Many journalistic activities such as their interviews, photos, press releases that they read, their notes, their talks with news sources and names of news sources in their phones were cited in the indictment as crime evidence.

While releasing 17 of 32 prisoners during a 2-year trial process, the court could only release the other prisoners after the abolishment of Special Courts (ÖYM).

Though the journalists appealed to the Constitutional Court for non-suit, the court continued the trial without awaiting the judgement of the Constitutional Court.

The journalists also applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), stating that their rights to liberty and security, prohibition of torture, freedom of expression, respect for human rights have been violated. The ECtHR process has still been continuing.

(EMK/SD)