FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
Seeking Justice for Assaulted Local Journalists
The Siirt High Criminal Court demands prison sentences for detained defendants Feyzi Aldemir, Hamit Kurt, Feyaz Aldemir and Tahir Aldemir over allegations of assaulting and seriously injuring journalist Diya Yarayan.
In the fifth hearing on 24 September Court Prosecutor Erdal Bozoğlu requested heavy prison sentences for the defendants on the grounds of a "deliberate attempt to kill a person".
Witnesses did not see who attacked
Upon the prosecutor's final request Bozoğlu summarized the incident, saying that on the day of the assault the police was informed about a fight in front of Selami Değer High School. The people who had injured Yarayan escaped in a car and ignored orders to stop. The car's plate could be identified. The people in the vehicle through 2 sticks out of the rear window when they tried to escape from the scene. After the car was stopped two people with ski masks got out of the car.
Bozoğlu placed on the record that the Forensic Medicine Report confirmed mortal danger for Yaranyan resulting from the injuries from the assault.
In the defense for his clients the defendants' lawyer Cemal Acar did not mention the attempt of killing but talked of injuries instead.
Defendant Tahir Aldemir's lawyer Abdulhakim Gider claimed the acquittal and release of his client, arguing that 4 people are detained although only 2 people were involved in the assault.
According to the prosecutor's point of view the court accepted the witnesses of the defendants to give their statements. Sedat Çakmak, Abdulhakim Siper and Mahmut Uğur unanimously statet that they do not know who assaulted the victim. This also concurred in the defendant's statements.
Heavy assault on Tuna also trialed
The case about the assault against Gerçek newspaper owner Durmuş Tuna has also started at the Söke (district of Aydın on the west coast of Turkey) 1st Criminal Court of First Instance.
Together with journalist Tuna another 10 detained and un-detained defendants and also witnesses attended the hearing. The hearing lasted for 5 hours. The defendants did not accept the accusation put up against them and requested their release. This request was declined by the court council.
Tuna's lawyer requested the case to be transferred to the High Criminal Court since many people had been involved in the assault and because they tried to kill Tuna with sticks and iron bars. The court rejected this claim. The court is to be continued on 26 October. (EÖ/VK)