Journalist Yıldız Tar and writer İbrahim Halit Elçi went on trial in Ankara’s 17th High Criminal Court over charges related to the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK).
Tar, who was detained ahead of the NATO summit, was unable to attend the hearing. The court ruled that the travel ban imposed on both defendants will remain in place.
Büşra Genel
The trial of journalist Yıldız Tar and writer İbrahim Halit Elçi, who are charged with “membership in an armed terrorist organization” as part of an investigation into the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), was held at Ankara’s 17th High Criminal Court.
The hearing began two hours late due to the court’s workload. Because of the small size of the courtroom, only 10 people were allowed to attend, while observers were not permitted to enter.
Defendant İbrahim Halit Elçi and his lawyer attended the hearing. Also present were MLSA Co-Director Attorney Veysel Ok and MLSA Legal Unit Coordinator Attorney Emine Özhasar, representing journalist Yıldız Tar.
Journalist Yıldız Tar, who is also a defendant in the case, was unable to attend the hearing because he had been detained as part of operations conducted ahead of the NATO summit.
In his defense statement, Elçi’s lawyer said his client was a member of a legally recognized political party and argued that the evidence cited by prosecutors lacked evidentiary value.
“News reports about the establishment of the HDK were already published in the media, and the people involved were publicly identified. Therefore, the list presented as evidence has no evidentiary value. The list is already publicly available. Moreover, there is no evidence of any connection to the KCK. My client is a member of the Socialist Refoundation Party (SYKP), which is a legal political party,” he said.
Tar’s lawyer, Veysel Ok, told the court: “The HDK list has already been published on its own website. In addition, the HDK continues its activities.”
Another of Tar’s lawyers, Emine Özhasar, requested that the travel ban imposed on her client be lifted.
Following the defense statements, the public prosecutor requested that the judicial control measures imposed on the defendants remain in force.
The court ruled that the travel bans on the defendants would continue. It also ordered that the case file be referred to the prosecutor’s office for preparation of the opinion on the merits.
The next hearing was scheduled for Nov. 24 at 11 a.m.
