Court orders release of journalist İsmail Arı after 75 days in pretrial detention
A court ordered the release of İsmail Arı, a reporter for the daily BirGün, during his first hearing today after spending 75 days in pretrial detention.
Arı appeared before the Ankara 2nd Penal Court of First Instance, where he faces up to six years in prison on charges of "publicly spreading misleading information" and "violating privacy." The journalist is known for his reporting on corruption and irregularities in public institutions.
During the hearing, the prosecution requested the continuation of Arı's detention. However, the panel of judges ruled for his release following objections from defense lawyers.
BIA Media Monitoring Reports
Police detained Arı on Mar 21 in Tokat, where he was visiting his family for the Eid al-Fitr holiday. He was formally arrested the following day and held at the Sincan Prison in Ankara. The arrest was based on his statements during a YouTube program and his social media posts.
Indictment
The indictment claims that Arı spread misleading information during a appearance on BirGün TV, where he spoke about the Erdoğan family's involvement in the management of 20 foundations and the transfer of public resources to these organizations.
The prosecution also cited three specific social media posts by Arı as evidence. These posts concerned the demolition of historical structures on the land of an İstanbul imam-hatip high school from which President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan graduated, alleged irregularities in the appointment of judges and prosecutors, and corruption allegations at the Yunus Emre Foundation.
The prosecutor requested a sentence of one to three years for publicly spreading misleading information, and an additional one to three years for violating confidentiality. (VK)
