Accusation against journalist: Talking to other journalists

In the indictment prepared by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Dicle Müftüoğlu, the co-chair of the Dicle Firat Journalists Association (DFG) and editor at Mezopotamya Agency (MA), who was arrested on May 3 after being detained on April 29, faces charges that include communicating with her colleagues Sedat Yılmaz, Özgür Paksoy, Mehmet Ali Ertaş.

The Public Prosecutor's Office accused Müftüoğlu of "membership in an organization" and "forming or leading an armed terrorist organization," similar to Sedat Yılmaz, who was also arrested together with Müftüoğlu.

The similarities between the two indictments have drawn attention. The prosecutor's office included statements from secret and open witnesses about the general structure and functioning of the PKK and KCK in 41 of the 43 pages of the indictment.

Kerem Gökalp, Sami Baran, and Ulaş, who were also involved in the HDP closure case and the Kobanî case are among the witnesses cited.

The prosecution also included statements from a secret witness named "K8Ç4B3L1T5" in the indictment, who had provided statements about the  other 10 people detained in the same operation who were later arrested and who worked as reporters for MA, JİNNEWS, and Yeni Yaşam, stating that they "engaged in organizational activities."

Müftüoğlu accused through her brother

In the indictment, Kerem Gökalp claimed that he saw Müftüoğlu in the Hinere Camp in Qandil in 2014 and alleged that she received ideological training for a month.

The secret witness "K8Ç4B3L1T5" stated that Müftüoğlu worked at MA and had connections with women's organizations in Diyarbakır. The witness attempted to incriminate Müftüoğlu by claiming that her brother had joined the PKK.

Speaking with journalists considered a crime

Just like in Sedat Yılmaz's indictment, the prosecutor accused Dicle Müftüoğlu based on phone conversations. The prosecutor categorized Müftüoğlu's phone calls with journalists Sedat Yılmaz, Özgür Paksoy, Mehmet Ali Ertaş, and numerous politicians and human rights activists as "organizational activities."

Furthermore, the prosecutor alleged that Müftüoğlu's mobile base station signals intersected 109,297 times with those of individuals suspected in another case. However, the prosecutor did not provide any data about where and when Müftüoğlu met with these individuals. The prosecutor claimed that Müftüoğlu had discussions with these individuals about "organizing activities of the terrorist organization, planning actions organized under the guidance of the terrorist organization, and endorsing members of the organization to keep the supporting crowd alive."

Allegations without evidence

The indictment also raised the issue of Müftüoğlu's trips abroad. The prosecutor accused Müftüoğlu of "meeting with members of the organization" abroad, based on statements by Kerem Gökalp. The prosecutor pointed out that there were exit and entry records at the Habur Border Gate in 2017 and claimed that Müftüoğlu sequentially crossed the border with individuals associated with the organization.

However, the prosecutor did not provide any evidence to support these claims, justifying it by saying that these trips were "contrary to the normal course of life."

The prosecution sent the indictment to the Ankara 28th Heavy Penal Court. The court declared itself incompetent, stating that the charges were based in Diyarbakır, and sent the indictment to Diyarbakır. Müftüoğlu has been in custody at Ankara Sincan Prison since May 3.

What happened?

Dicle Müftüoğlu was detained on April 29 as part of an investigation initiated by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against 49 people and she was arrested on May 3.

After the completion of the investigation, the prosecutor's office prepared an indictment on July 18. However, the Ankara 28th Heavy Penal Court did not accept the indictment and returned it to the same prosecutor's office on July 27.

The court, in its decision to return the indictment, indicated that the investigation was conducted collectively, despite the absence of legal and factual connections among those detained and arrested in the context of the investigation. Therefore, the court requested the preparation of the indictment tailored to each individual.

The court has also rejected the prosecutor's subsequent objection. As a result, the prosecutor first prepared a separate indictment for MA editor Sedat Yılmaz, who was arrested along with Müftüoğlu on September 6, accusing him of "membership in an organization" and "forming and leading an armed terrorist organization."

The same court also rejected this indictment on September 21, stating that the allegations were based in Diyarbakır, and therefore, the indictment should be sent to Diyarbakır Heavy Penal Courts.