Court rules that journalist Aziz Oruç shall remain behind bars

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Charged with "membership of an organization" and "propagandizing for an organization," journalist Aziz Oruç stood trial for the first time today (July 21).

Forced to enter Turkey through Iran-Turkey border, Oruç was detained and arrested in Turkey's eastern province of Ağrı on December 18, 2019.

As part of the same lawsuit, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Doğubayazıt District Co-Chair Abdullah Ekelek and Muhammet İkram Müftüoğlu were also arrested pending trial. Journalist Dicle Müftüoğlu, Turgay İlboğa and Yücel İlhan are the other three defendants in the case.

CLICK - Indictment against Aziz Oruç in the 7th month of his arrest

The first hearing of six people, including Aziz Oruç, was held at the Ağrı 2nd Heavy Penal Court today. The hearing was followed by journalists Ruşen Takva and Adnan Bilen as well as Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) Diyarbakır Representative Mahmut Oral.

However, on the ground of coronavirus measures, only the attorneys and non-arrested defendants were allowed to attend the hearing.

Represented by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), arrested defendants Aziz Oruç, Muhammet İkram Müftüoğlu and HDP Doğubayazıt Co-Chair Abdullah Ekelek attended the hearing from Patnos Type L Closed Prison via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS).

Following the defendants' and their attorneys' defense, the court board has ruled that Muhammet İkram Müftüoğlu and Abdullah Ekelek shall be released on probation. It has also ruled that journalist Oruç shall remain behind bars. The next hearing of the case will be held on September 21.

What happened?

Journalist Aziz Oruç, a reporter for the Dicle News Agency (DİHA) closed by a Statutory Decree, had been living in Iraq for the past three years due to the lawsuits filed against him in Turkey.

Leaving Iraq for Iran to reach Europe through Armenia, he was taken into custody at Armenia border gate. Subjected to police violence in custody in Armenia, Oruç was turned over to the soldiers of Iran.

Oruç was forced to cross the border to Turkey through the wire fence on Turkey-Iran border on December 11. He was taken into custody with HDP Doğubayazıt District Co-Chair Abdullah Ekelek, whom he asked for help, when they were about to leave the city on December 11.

In the indictment filed against Aziz Oruç after spending 174 days behind bars, he was charged with "being a member of a terrorist organization" and "propagandizing for a terrorist organization." The only evidence brought against the journalist for the former accusation was the conviction derived from the fact that "he entered the country through illegal ways, which suggested his membership of PKK/KCK terrorist organization."

As part of another lawsuit heard by the Diyarbakır 9th Heavy Penal Court, which announced its ruling on March 2, 2020, Aziz Oruç was sentenced to 2 years, 1 month in prison on the ground that "he repeatedly propagandized for a terrorist organization" with his social media posts. (HA/SD)