Eylem Sonbahar
Journalist Ahmet Güneş appeared before the 25th High Criminal Court in Istanbul on Friday in the first hearing of a case in which he is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization.” The court ruled to issue a formal request to the police to determine whether any individual has submitted a statement regarding Güneş, and adjourned the trial to Sept. 11 at 9:45 a.m.
Güneş, a reporter for the pro-Kurdish Yeni Yaşam newspaper, was initially detained during police raids in Istanbul on Jan. 17, as part of a broader investigation led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. He was arrested three days later on Jan. 20, but was released on Feb. 4 through a procedural order issued after the indictment was accepted.
During the hearing, Güneş denied the charges and began his defense statement by explaining that he worked for Yeni Yaşam. “I do not work as a presenter for Medya Haber. They only aired my interviews. I reject the accusation of membership in a terrorist organization. We discussed topics currently being talked about in Turkey. Since we work publicly, our videos can appear anywhere. My aim is journalism, not propaganda,” he told the court.
His attorney, Meltem Özel, argued that Güneş had produced a two-month series of pre-recorded programs, which were later sold and broadcast but not specifically produced for Medya Haber TV. “These programs contain no criminal elements. They address current affairs and human rights issues. The commentary does not qualify as propaganda for any organization,” she said, requesting his acquittal.
The indictment accuses Güneş of acting as a presenter on Medya Haber TV, a channel which prosecutors describe as “a so-called media outlet” serving as a mouthpiece for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a Kurdish militant group designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. According to the indictment, Güneş allegedly used his media presence to spread the group’s ideology and legitimize its violent actions.
The document further claims that the station’s broadcasts go beyond regular journalism and instead aim to present the PKK's messages to the public in an effort to normalize and justify its operations. It argues that the content poses a serious threat to national security and territorial integrity, asserting that Güneş, through the intensity and continuity of his work, committed the crime of membership in an armed terrorist organization.
The same investigation led to the detention of several other journalists on Jan. 17, including Necla Demir, Rahime Karvar, Welat Ekin, Vedat Örüç and Reyhan Hacıoğlu, who were also arrested on similar charges.
The case has drawn attention from press freedom advocates, as Turkish authorities continue to prosecute journalists under anti-terrorism laws that critics say are used to silence dissenting voices, particularly in Kurdish media.
