Journalist Zirngast from Austria Acquitted of ‘Membership of a Terrorist Organization’

* Photograph: Max Zirngast / Twitter

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Arrested while he was a student at the Middle East Technical University (METU) Faculty of Social Sciences, journalist Max Zirngast from Austria was acquitted in his second hearing today (September 11).

Put on trial for allegedly "being a member of the Communist Party of Turkey/Spark", Zirngast was taken into custody on September 11, 2018 in the capital city of Ankara and arrested on September 21. Serving three months in prison, Zirngast was released with an international travel ban.

'Adequate evidence cannot be obtained'

The second and final hearing of journalist Max Zirngast was held at the Ankara 26th Heavy Penal Court today. Announcing its judgement, the court board has ruled that the journalist shall be acquitted "on the ground that no adequate evidence for conviction can be obtained."

The court has ruled that Mithatcan Türetken and Hatice Göz, who are members of the Social Freedom Party Constituent Assembly, and one other person who were detained with Zirngast shall also be acquitted.

Living in Ankara for over three years now, the journalist has been penning articles for the Germany-based "Junge Welt" newspaper, the Germany-based "re:volt" magazine and the US-based "Jacobin" magazine. (HA/SD)