Mezopotamya Agency Reporter Barış Polat Sentenced to 6 Years, 3 Months in Prison

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Taken into custody and arrested while distributing Özgürlükçü Demokrasi newspaper closed by a Statutory Decree and charged with "being a member of a terrorist organization", Mezopotamya Agency reporter Barış Polat has been sentenced to 6 years, 3 months in prison.

While Polat did not attend his final hearing at the 7th Heavy Penal Court today (January 7), he presented his statement as to the accusations to the court in written form. In his defense, Polat indicated that he denied the accusations, the likes on his social media accounts did not constitute a crime in themselves and the word "Heval" that he used in his phone calls with his friends meant friend in Kurdish.

In his defense at court, his lawyer Mehmet Alagöz underlined that what his client did was journalistic activities and attribution of the flash drive in the file to Polat was unacceptable. Indicating that the flash drive in question was not examined enough, Alagöz requested the acquittal of Polat.

Announcing its ruling after the recess, the court has ruled by a majority of votes that Polat shall be sentenced to 6 years, 3 months in prison.

CLICK - Three-Month Agenda of the Media: Trials, Prisons and Government-Backed Threats

* Sources: Mezopotamya Agency & Expression Interrupted

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