Social Media Trial of 6 Journalists Begins Today

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Trial of six journalists who have been tried for making report of Redhack leaking emails of Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Berat Albayrak starts today (October 24).

Diken’s former editor Tunca Öğreten, closed Dicle News Agency (DİHA) News Director Ömer Çelik, BirGün daily newspaper staff Mahir Kanaat have been detained on remand; DİHA correspondent Metin Yoksu, Yolculuk newspaper Editor-in-Chief Eray Sargın and ETHA Managing Editor Derya Okatan have been pending trial without arrest.

Öğreten, Kanaat and Çelik have been deprived of their freedom for 304 days.

The people they follow and who follow them on social media, their postings and reports are included as evidence in the indictment prepared by Public Prosecutor Yakup Ali Çelik.

The hearing was announced to be held at 11 a.m. at İstanbul 29th Heavy Penal Court but it didn’t start as of 11: 40 a.m.

What happened?

Diken’s former editor Tunca Öğreten, closed Dicle News Agency (DİHA) News Director Ömer Çelik, BirGün daily newspaper staff Mahir Kanaat, DİHA correspondent Metin Yoksu, Yolculuk newspaper Editor-in-Chief Eray Sargın and ETHA Managing Editor Derya Okatan were detained on December 25, 2016 due to their reports of Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Berat Albayrak’s emails that were leaked by Redhack.

Öğreten, Kanaat and Çelik were arrested, Yoksu, Okatan and Saygın were released on probation on January 18.

Arrested as part of the same investigation, Die Welt reporter Deniz Yücel’s case was separated. (EA/EKN/TK)