Arrested Journalists, Lawyers Accused of 'Letting Public Know About Detention'
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Investigation launched against journalists İsminaz Temel and Havva Cuştan, and lawyers Özlem Gümüştaş, Sezin Uçar and Gülhan Kaya hve been completed.
In the 277-page indictment prepared by prosecutor Kenan Zurnacı, 23 people including lawyers and attorneys 13 of whom are pending trial in detention are being charged with “being a member of [MLKP] armed terrorist organization” and “propagandizing for a terrorist organization”.
After İstanbul 8th Criminal Judgeship of Peace’s ruling on October 18, 2017, the suspects were detained in an operation launched on October 19, and 13 people were arrested by İstanbul 1st Criminal Judgeship of Peace on October 25, 2017 in İstanbul.
Lawyers Özlem Gümüştaş and Sezin Uçar from the Law Bureau of the Oppressed (EHB) and İsminaz Temel and Havva Cuçtan from Etkin News Agency (ETHA) have been imprisoned since then.
The first hearing will be held at İstanbul 27th Heavy Penal Court on July 16.
Suspects’ statements of defense are among the evidence
In the indictment, the suspects’ statements of defenses are counted as evidence as well.
Besides, their criminal records, belongings seized during home raids and summaries prepared by the police are also among the evidence.
“Age-old” depositions by six anonymous witnesses
The indictment also comprises the depositions given by six anonymous witnesses with the pseudonyms Deniz Gülhan, Zafer Atılım, Ramazan Bir, Sadakat Gülsunay, Melek, Eylül Kızılbaş.
The depositions given by the anonymous witnesses in 2013, 2014 and 2015 have been cited as evidence in this file years later.
In the deposition that she gave at Police Department on November 3, 2014, the anonymous witness with the pseudonym Deniz Gülhan said, “Gezi events which unfolded with the aim of overthrowing the government of the Republic of Turkey were continued in Gazi Neighborhood very effectively.”
That the attorneys announced the operation and their detention on social media has also been cited in the indictment as criminal evidence.
“The evidence that I was here for news…”
In her deposition, the journalist Havva Cuştan stated, “I am a journalist, I do news coverage everyday, we are side by side with the police forces everyday, I was taken into custody with my press card burnt, I find it unlawful. I would have immediately been there if I had been summoned for deposition.”
As for the journalist İsminaz Temel, she stated that her photographs which were taken during the demonstrations and added to the file as evidence against her are actually evidence that she was doing journalism: “It is me who is shown in the photographs included in the file prepared by the Police Department. I was doing news coverage at the scene as a journalist with my press card, with my camera and my news notebook in my hand. If the photograph is paid careful attention, it can be seen that I was there personally for news.” (AS/TK/SD)