The 30th Heavy Penal Court of Istanbul has sentenced Tele1 TV Editor in Chief Merdan Yanardağ to 2 years and 6 months in prison for the charge of 'propaganda for a terrorist organization' due to his criticism of the isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in prison.
Merdan Yanardağ, who was arrested on charges of 'praising the crime and the criminal' following the targeting of his statements regarding Abdullah Öcalan on his program on Tele1, appeared before a judge today (October 4) for the first time after over three months in detention.
The court sentenced Yanardağ to 2 years and 6 months in prison for the charge of 'propaganda for a terrorist organization.' Finding the crime established, the court decided to increase the sentence by half due to Yanardağ's statement being broadcast on television. Along with the verdict, which will be implemented after the finalization of the judgment, the court also ordered Yanardağ's release.
Yanardağ receives mass support
Before the trial at the Istanbul 30th Heavy Penal Court in Çağlayan, journalists, press organizations, members of parliament, civil society organizations, and citizens staged a protest in front of the courthouse, demanding "justice."
In the aftermath of the protest, the crowd proceeded to the courthouse and ascended to the floor where the trial was to take place. The small size of the courtroom, accommodating only 20 people, led to overcrowding.
Only a few journalists managed to enter the courtroom. Representatives from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey, the International Press Institute (IPI) led by Scott Griffin, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Turkey represented by Özgür Öğret, along with Gürkan Özturan from the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), and the Turkish Journalists' Association (TGC), the Turkish Journalists' Union (TGS), and the Press Workers' Union (DİSK Basın İş) representatives were not allowed into the courtroom and they left the courthouse.
Yanardağ's defense
The trial, which began with a limited audience, saw Yanardağ defending himself against the charges outlined in the indictment, which could result in a prison sentence of up to 10 years and 6 months. He asserted that the trial was opened by the oppressive authorities with the intention of eliminating press and freedom of expression, attempting to intimidate people into submission. He questioned, "What could be considered a crime in asking for the enforcement of the law?"
Yanardağ summarized his defense as follows: "I have produced 3,000 programs to date. In none of them did I praise any terroristorganization or engage in propaganda. The only thing I did in a 50-minute program was to criticize AKP (Justice and Development Party) policies."
He also criticized the prosecution for considering social media trolls as credible sources and mentioned cases like Ayşenur Aslan's, where individuals were targeted by the prosecution for what he referred to as "social plagiarism."
Yanardağ expressed his frustration with his arrest based on a 62-second video, highlighting that nothing said in the video constituted a crime. He emphasized that there was no endorsement or promotion of any terrorist organization or its actions. He argued that the government was using the Imralı issue* as a political tool to interfere in elections and politics.
While mentioning that he was notified of the indictment on July 27, Yanardağ explained that they had submitted the entire recording as evidence, but the prosecution focused on a 62-second segment in preparing the indictment.
Yanardağ stated, "I did not invent the discussion on the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan. Galip Ensarioğlu (former AKP Diyarbakır MP.) made a statement in an interview accusing Selahattin Demirtaş, saying, 'The isolation was imposed because of him.' In my program, I discussed Ensarioğlu's statement. However, the indictment does not mention Galip Ensarioğlu."
During the trial, the prosecutor charged Yanardağ with 'propaganda for a terrorist organization' and requested a sentence. Yanardağ and his lawyers presented their defense against the charges.
The court announced its verdict, sentencing Yanardağ to 2 years and 6 months in prison for 'propaganda for a terrorist organization.' The court found the crime to be established and increased the sentence by half due to the televised nature of the statement. The court also decided to release Yanardağ with this verdict.
* Abdullah Öcalan, the leader of the outlawed PKK is kept in the İmralı islan prison since his capture and arrest in 1999.
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