- A court in southeastern Turkey on Thursday declined to remove an overseas travel ban imposed on 19 journalists and media workers standing trial on charges of “membership in an organization” and “propaganda for an organization,” postponing the hearing until July 9.
Medine Mamedoğlu
The case is being heard at the Diyarbakır 4th High Criminal Court. The defendants include journalists Serdar Altan, Mehmet Ali Ertaş, Aziz Oruç, Zeynel Abidin Bulut, Ömer Çelik, Mazlum Doğan Güler, İbrahim Koyuncu, Neşe Toprak, Elif Üngür, Abdurrahman Öncü, Mehmet Şahin, Lezgin Akdeniz, Suat Doğuhan, Ramazan Geciken, Esmer Tunç, Mehmet Yalçın and Kadir Bayram, as well as media workers Remziye Temel, Berivan Karatorak and Servet Yiğen. The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) is representing Oruç.
Several defendants, including journalists Mehmet Ali Ertaş, Ömer Çelik, Abdurrahman Öncü, Serdar Altan and Esmer Tunç, attended the hearing along with lawyers Resul Tamur and Gözde Engin. Representatives from the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) and MLSA were also present. The session began about 30 minutes late due to a busy court schedule.
Delivering the first defense statement, journalist Berivan Karatorak rejected the accusations, noting that her case had been merged with another file. She said she was neither the director nor an employee of the program cited in the charges, currently works part-time for minimum wage, and has no ongoing ties to the media, requesting acquittal.
Journalist Serdar Altan said the group had been prosecuted for nearly four years over their reporting. He argued that the travel ban prevents them from carrying out their work and should be lifted.
Defense lawyers echoed that argument. Resul Tamur said the restriction violates both freedom of movement and the journalists’ ability to work. Serdar Çelebi added that evidence had already been collected and defense statements taken, and that continuing the measure undermines the right to a fair trial. Lawyers Bahar Oktay, Ruşen Seydaoğlu and Gözde Engin also called for the ban to be lifted.
The defense further requested that authorities be instructed to return items seized during police raids, a request the court accepted.
In its interim ruling, however, the court ordered that the travel ban remain in place and adjourned the trial until 9:15 a.m. on July 9.
