A court in İstanbul has ordered the release of journalist Ercüment Akdeniz, former editor-in-chief of the left-wing daily Evrensel, after eight months in pre-trial detention.
Akdeniz was among those detained in police raids on Feb 18 targeting the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK), a pro-Kurdish and leftist umbrella organization. He was formally arrested on Feb 22 on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization.”
The second hearing of his trial was held today at the İstanbul 26th Heavy Penal Court in the Çağlayan courthouse. Akdeniz was brought to the courtroom from Silivri Prison, where he had been held for 241 days.
The hearing was followed by observers including MPs from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, as well as representatives from the DİSK Press Workers (Basın İş) union and the Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS). Due to limited seating, many supporters were unable to enter the courtroom.
Journalists' union denied visit to jailed reporter Elif Akgül
The hearing
The court limited Akdeniz’s defense to three lawyers. The session began with witness testimonies.
The first witness stated that he did not know Akdeniz, could not recall his previous testimony, was unaware of the indictment, and had not attended or witnessed the HDK meeting in question, according to the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA).
In his defense, Akdeniz said, “The public knows me as a journalist, through my news reports, work, and books. In that context, the charge of being a member of an armed organization defies logic and common sense.”
Referencing Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, which he said he re-read in prison, Akdeniz remarked, “The novel shows that crime seeks punishment. That is the case here too. My being on trial here is absurd.”
BIA Media Monitoring Reports
Akdeniz also contested phone records cited in the indictment, saying that none of the individuals he spoke with were affiliated with the HDK.
He further criticized the indictment, saying, “If the acronym SDKP on my book cover is miswritten as MLKP in the indictment, I see more than a factual error, I see bad faith.” MLKP is an armed Marxist group.
Akdeniz also questioned the logic of labeling HDK a "terrorist" group given the ongoing Kurdish peace process. “On the day parliament reopened, HDK co-spokesperson Meral Danış Beştaş attended a reception, shook hands with the president, and posed for smiling photos. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not accusing anyone. But if the HDK co-spokesperson can attend such a high-level event, why am I on trial?
“This is a good process. Peace is good. Let it continue. But there’s no point in dragging out this trial. I never held any position within the HDK.”
Defense attorney Özcan Karakoç argued that all relevant evidence had been collected and requested that the court move forward to the final opinion.
The prosecutor, however, said the final opinion was not yet ready and requested Akdeniz remain in detention, citing the seriousness of the charge.
After a brief recess, the court ordered Akdeniz’s release.
His first hearing was held on Jul 31, where the court had ruled to extend his detention.
The indictment
The indictment, prepared on May 7, accused Akdeniz of being part of the HDK, which it described as an entity established under the orders of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). It claimed he adopted the group’s views, organized activities in its name, and acted within its hierarchical structure to further its goals.
It also alleged that Akdeniz participated in a protest against the Taksim pedestrianization and Gezi Park projects on Jun 29, 2013, referencing the mass anti-government protests attended by millions of people across the country at the time. According to the indictment, he acted in coordination with the group.
In response, Akdeniz said, “The person marked in the photo you showed me is me. But I must remind you that during that period, law enforcement and judicial bodies were heavily infiltrated by FETÖ/PDY elements. So I suspect the possibility of photo manipulation.”
He added that the second photo shown to him dated back to a peaceful protest organized with members of the arts community before the Gezi Park protests began.
The indictment also cited Akdeniz’s phone conversations related to covering statements and public demonstrations as evidence of his alleged HDK membership. (AB/VK)
