Representatives of national and international rights organization condemned the fact that they were not able to observe the first hearing of the Oda TV trial on 22 November. 14 defendants, ten of whom are journalists, are tried in the scope of the case. The representatives of the rights organizations were not able to enter the court room of the 16th High Criminal Court at the Çağlayan (Istanbul) Courthouse due to a supposed lack of space.
In a joint statement, the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) Democratization Program criticized that "observers from national and international rights organizations were not allowed into the court room at the morning session because of 'lack of space'".
The rights organization claimed in their statement, "The conditions of the hearing overshadow the principle of publicity for trials. At the same time, the right to a fair trial and the rights of the defendants were violated".
"The small size of the courtroom and the decision of Court President Resul Çakır not to 'allow part of the audience standing' constituted an obstacle for relatives of the defendants, the press members covering the trial and the representatives of rights organizations", the joint statement continued.
"When we objected to the situation, the only people we were able to talk to were the 'private security guards'. Some of the representatives of the organizations and institutions were forced to leave the court house after hours of confusion, uncertainty and trouble. Towards the end of the hearing people lost their patience. They had to push through the barricade of the private security in order to enter the court room".
"A specific and open entrance to the court room could not be provided. The impression was created that brute force was the method that is required to be able to observe a hearing at court".
"It was understood that the technical infrastructure of the court room and the implementation of these facilities in order to accomplish a fair trial are in contrary proportion to the size of the new Courthouse and its functional capacity", the organizations stated.
"We condemn the application made for this hearing. We consider it essential to eliminate these difficulties with regard to the principle of a fair trial. The court president is obliged to guarantee the right to a fair trial and we would like to remind him of his responsibility". (AS)
