Journalist Wants his Camera Back

The gendarme report in the case against DIHA reporter Hakan, disproves the police statements. Hakans camera was seized as he was covering a protest, and he was charged for being a runaway activist. Police had said, Hakan had no camera with him.

Erol Önderoğlu

A Turkish court continued to try Ubeydullah Hakan, a reporter for the Dicle News Agency (DIHA). Hakan's camera was seized as he was covering a protest by the relatives and friends of Cetin Karaman, allegedly killed by soldiers. Hakan was later charged for being a "runaway activist."

An expert report from the paramilitary police was presented to the court during the haring Friday. The report made clear that the reporter was taking photographs at the protest, but he had no camera with him as he was being pushed into a police car.

Lawyer Murat Timur, who is representing Hakan, told bianet that the images, recorded by local television channels and studied by experts, disprove police statements that "Hakan had no camera with him."

The court, which is awaiting a ballistic report from the paramilitary police commandership Van criminal laboratory about a weapon, postponed the trial to May 28.

"We will go to ECHR if we do not get a positive outcome here," lawyer Timur said.

He added that Hakan was expecting that his camera be returned and that there is legal action against the police officers that roughed him up. (EO/BB/EA/YE)

Origin

BÄ°A News Center

Erol Önderoğlu

[email protected]

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A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without...

A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), where he began as a reporter in 1996. Since 1999, he has worked at bianet, a project of the IPS Communication Foundation, as the coordinator of the Legal Support Desk, editor for freedom of expression, and editor-in-chief. He has authored more than 4,800 signed news articles and opinion pieces. He has also written for Bizim Gazete and the journal Güncel Hukuk. He currently prepares the Media Monitoring Reports at bianet.