Journalist Mahmut Oral acquitted of 'terrorism' charges

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Journalist Mahmut Oral has been acquitted of "knowingly and willingly aiding an illegal organization" in the first hearing of the case.

A lawsuit was filed against him for being a board member of the Sarmaşık Association for Combating Poverty and Sustainable Development, which was shut down by a statutory decree because of its alleged "ties to terrorism."

At the hearing, Oral denied the allegations, saying that the association would work for combating poverty without discrimination.

Oral's attorney Mehmet Emin Aktar said the association was the "best thing that was done in Diyarbakır." The association was founded under the laws and was closed by a statutory decree without a court order, he noted.

Oral was involved in the association's works because he was a board member of the Southeastern Journalists' Association (GGC), he stated.

Aktar also said that the list of people to whom the association will aid was sent by the elected village and neighborhood heads, the attorney added.

Noting that a criminal connection between his client and the association could not be proven, Aktar said the reason for the allegation against the journalist was that the association was closed by a statutory decree. This would violate the principle of individuality of criminal responsibility, he added.

Handing down its judgment, the Diyarbakır 4th Heavy Penal Court acquitted the journalist.

Hundreds of NGOs and media organizations had been shut down by statutory decrees during the state of emergency declared following the 2016 coup attempt. (KÖ/VK)