Journalist Özlem Ağuş Freed Pending Trial

An Adana court freed journalist Özlem Ağuş pending a trial in the KCK case yesterday, along with  Fatma Çatıkaş, Mahmut Aslan, Şefik Özbey, Mehmet Muhti Aslan, Zülküf Tezkorkmaz, Ali Yasak, Abdulkerim Aslan and Adil Yalçın.

Staff journalist at Dicle News Agency, Ağuş reported on several human rights abuses issues in Turkey, including 2011 Pozanti Prison case where 3 minors were sexually abused by prison guards.

“The court is actually trying journalism and free press here,” Ağuş said. “Dicle News Agency received a lot of criticism after its coverage on Roboski Massacre. It is no coincidence that 34 journalist were arrested in Turkey following the incident.”

Ağuş claimed that the 90’s trend of journalist assassinations in Turkey has now been replaced by jailing them.

In March 2012, Ağuş was arrested for charges related to being a KCK organization member.

The court will resume the trial on April 26. (EA/EKN/BM)