Turkey: Database of Imprisoned Writers

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TURKEY: DATABASE OF IMPRISONED WRITERS

20 December 2019 – On 30 November 2019, PEN International and English PEN co-organised a workshop that notably aimed at highlighting the plight of imprisoned journalists in Turkey, and led to the creation of a database of their detailed profiles.

Data was aggregated from sources including Bianet, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Press Institute, the Media and Law Studies Association as well as Platform 24 and its affiliate Expression Interrupted. Data, where available, covers biographical details, charges against the journalist, as well as details of arrest, trial and detention.

For more information, please contact Aurélia Dondo, Europe Programme Coordinator at [email protected]

ABDULKADIR TURAY

DATE of BIRTH: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL:

GENDER: Male Source 1: Media and Law Studies Association

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter Last updated on 3 December 2018 working for Dicle News Agency (DIHA). Abdulkadir Turay, a former journalist for now- DATE of ARREST: He was taken into custody on defunct media outlet Dicle News Agency, has 5 May 2016; arrested on 9 May 2016; and been sentenced to 9 years imprisonment for past convicted on 28 September 2018. news articles and notes. Turay has already been imprisoned for 2 years. Nine defendants DETAILS of ARREST: appeared at Mardin 2. High Criminal Court on Source 1: International Press Institute terrorism charges today. In addition to Turay, Savur Municipality Deputy Co-chair Osman Ok Turay was arrested in Mardin province of Turkey and Democratic Regions Party members on allegations of “aiding and abetting a terrorist Mehmet Sait Tuncer, Yusuf Erat, Şakir Turan, organization” and “membership of a terrorist Davut Tekin, Hamdullah Öz, Naci Arslan and organization.” Yalçın Bulgan all face terrorism charges. The

1 defendants submitted their defense statements defendants face a cumulative 74 years and 3 in Kurdish. They requested acquittal and drew months imprisonment. attention to the fact that the prosecution’s case PRISON SENTENCE: 9 years relies on the testimony of two anonymous witnesses. Turay claimed that the testimony of LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law (TCK) the anonymous witnesses was not reflective of 314-2 the truth. “I had been working as a journalist since 2014 until when I was detained 2016. I was CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted an insured employee of DİHA. All the CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Mardin E Type information I gathered from my source were Prison newsworthy. They cannot be presented as evidence of crime.” Şehmuz Taşkın, a lawyer for CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A the defense, then took the floor. Taşkın noted HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A that even the anonymous witnesses do not specify what actions his clients are alleged to SOURCES: have done on behalf of any terrorist For more information in English: organizations. He also observed that the witnesses had changed their statements after https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- the emergence of new evidence, indicating that expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-158/ they are not to be relied on. Lawyers for the http://bianet.org/english/human- defense went on to cite decisions of the rights/174593-diha-reporter-turay-4-others- Constitutional Court and European Court of arrested Human Rights which declare that anonymous witness statements are an insufficient evidential For more information in Turkish: basis for conviction. The prosecution then reasserted their final opinion and requested the https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/diha- ajansinin-muhabiri-abdulkadir-turaya-orgut- conviction of Hamdullah Öz, Mehmet Sait uyeliginden-9-yil-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ Tuncer, Yalçın Bulgan, Gazeteci Abdulkadir Turay, Yusuf Erat, Mevlüde Ökmen, Osman Ok https://www.mlsaturkey.com/tr/gazeteci- and Şakir Turan. The prosecution has however abdulkadir-turaya-9-yil-hapis/ requested that Davut Tekin and Naci Arslan be acquitted. The court sentenced Turay to 9 years http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- imprisonment. Öz and Bulgan received ozgurlugu/174587-diha-muhabiri-turay-ve-dort- sentences of 10 years and 6 months, whereas kisi-tutuklandi Ökmen, Arslan and Tekin were sentenced to 7 http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ years and 6 months. Erat received a sentence of 530151/DiHA_nin_bir_muhabiri_daha_tutuklan 3 years and 9 months. Turan, Ok, and Tuncer di.html each received sentences of 6 years. The court chose to release Ok from imprisonment. The http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/koseyazisi/5355 03/DiHA_diye_bir_haber_ajansi.html

ABDULLAH KILIÇ

DATE of BIRTH: 18 June 1972 of the imprisoned defendants released conditionally, but prosecutors successfully GENDER: Male objected to the release of eight of them and the PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Columnist- release order for the other 13 was blocked hours commentator for Meydan newspaper. later. The defendants – with the exception of Akkuş, who was freed after having been DATE of ARREST: He was taken into custody on imprisoned since July 30, 2016 – remained 25 July 2016. He was arrested on 29 July 2016. behind bars and the judges who made the order DETAILS OF ARREST: were suspended. Prosecutors later brought new charges against 13 of the journalists on charges Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) of trying to overthrow the government and the Abdullah Kılıç, print/broadcast coordinator for constitutional order. Those facing the new Habertürk, was ordered arrested on July 30, charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, 2016 as part of a purge of journalists allegedly Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız. Turkey’s government accuses of having Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) established a “parallel state structure” and who it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 coup Police in Istanbul detained Abdullah Kılıç, a attempt. former columnist for the shuttered daily newspaper Meydan, on July 25, 2016, as part of DETAILS of TRIAL: a purge of suspected followers of exiled Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) preacher Fethullah Gülen. The Turkish government accuses Gülen of maintaining a Kılıç is one of 29 journalists charged in a case terrorist organization and "parallel state accusing them of having been part of the Gülen structure" (FETÖ/PDY, as the government calls it) movement’s “media wing”. They face up to 10 within Turkey and alleges that it masterminded years in prison if convicted. As of May 2, 2017, a failed July 2016 military coup. Istanbul's First other journalists imprisoned in connection with Court of Penal Peace ordered the journalist jailed the case include, Ahmet Memiş, Atilla Taş, pending trial on terrorism charges. According to Bayram Kaya, Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi records of the columnist's interrogation and the Kalyoncu, Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Emre Soncan, order jailing him, which CPJ reviewed, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habib Güler, Halil İbrahim prosecutors questioned Kılıç on the suspicion Balta, Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat that he was a member of FETÖ/PDY's "media Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, arm," based on his work for Zaman and other Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, newspapers the government accuses of Yakup Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız. Six other manipulating the public to support the journalists face charges in the case, including Ali organization and the attempted coup. The Akkuş, Bülent Ceyhan, Davut Aydın, Muhammed government took over Zaman and affiliated Sait Kuloğlu, Muhterem Tanık and Said Sefa, the publications in March 2016 and shut them down latter of whom reportedly had fled the country. by decree in July that year, alleging links to the On March 31, 2017 a court in Turkey ordered 21 Gülenist network. Prosecutors questioned Kılıç

3 on suspicion of "committing crimes in the name life sentence without parole. CPJ found both of a [terrorist] organization without being a indictments to be similar to those presented at member," "knowingly and willingly helping a trials of other journalists in Turkey. Prosecutors [terrorist] organization without being involved in cited as evidence in these cases journalistic the organization's hierarchical structure," activity or acts of free speech and "founding or leading an armed terrorist communication, or cited circumstantial evidence organization," and "being member of an armed such as being employed by a certain media terrorist organization," according to the outlet or having an account at a bank allegedly documents. Kılıç denied the charges, court linked to Gülenists. The first indictment accused documents show. He said that although he the defendants of manipulating the public worked at Zaman until February 2011, he perception of FETÖ to turn citizens against the subsequently worked at other newspapers and government, which prosecutors argued, made television stations and had reported critically on the journalists members of the group that the Gülenist network. Kılıç also said he had Turkey alleges is behind the attempted coup. criticized previous attempted coups in The second indictment, which was presented as documentaries, columns, and on social media. an addition to the original case, argued that the Kılıç said he left Meydan in April 2015, after journalists should be held responsible for more Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a than alleged membership to the group. In Kılıç’s speech warned, "For the last time: those who case, prosecutors cited as evidence in the first stay within this [Gülenist] structure will pay the indictment his columns at Meydan and his price and suffer consequences," and that he had tweets. Witness testimony from former worked in the flower business since. Meydan colleagues alleged that Kılıç was pro-Gülen, and and more than 100 other media outlets were the prosecutors alleged that he had an account closed by decree along with Zaman on July 27, at Bank Asya, which the government alleged was 2016. Kılıç went on trial with several other a Gülenist institution. The second indictment journalists. When the trial began in March 2017, included as evidence Kılıç's mobile phone activity an Istanbul court ordered Kılıç and several of the and communication records with people who other journalists to be released while the case were wanted or on trial for alleged Gülenist was heard. However, authorities brought fresh activity. Some of these people had the Bylock charges and the journalists were ordered to App on their phones, according to authorities, remain in custody, according to news reports. who claim that the app is evidence of being a Authorities ordered an investigation into the FETÖ member. Kılıç did not have the app judges who had ordered the release and they installed on his phone, according to the were relieved of duty, according to reports. In indictment. An Istanbul court on March 8, 2018, the original indictment, all but one of the co- found Kılıç and at least 21 of the other journalists accused were charged with “being a member of on trial guilty of "being a member of a [terrorist] an armed [terrorist] organization,” which carries organization,” and sentenced Kılıç to six years up to 10 years in prison. The second indictment and three months in prison, according to reports. listed the charges as “attempting, through The court acquitted all the defendants of the violence and force, to disrupt and replace the more serious coup-related charges in the second order as recognized by Turkey’s Constitution” indictment. At least 18 of the journalists were and “attempting through violence and force to sent to prison for varying prison terms. Two of eliminate or prevent Parliament from carrying them-- Atilla Taş and Murat Aksoy—were out its duties.” Both charges carry a maximum sentenced and released for time served, and the

4 journalists Bünyamin Köseli and Cihan Acar Acar noted that ten tweets he posted within two remain free pending the appeal, according to hours were included as evidence against him: reports. Lawyers for Kılıç told CPJ they are “Will I still be accused if I could take those two appealing the verdict. As of late 2018, the local hours out of my life?” Other journalists argued appeal process was ongoing. The lawyers said that their articles only showed their support for they filed a case with the European Court of the government. The defendants include Human Rights, citing a lack of evidence that Kılıç columnist Murat Aksoy, former singer and was a member of a terrorist organization. As of Meydan columnist Atilla Taş and Habertürk late 2018, Kılıç was held in Silivri Prison, Istanbul. network’s former broadcasts coordinator Oğuz Usluer. Abdullah Kılıç, a former news coordinator Source 3: Media and Law Studies Association for the Habertürk newspaper, testified first. He (MLSA) said he had no ties to any terror group. He also The details of the trial on the 22-23 February read his tweets condemning the coup posted as 2018 can be found here (Updated: 22 February the coup attempt occurred on 15 July 2016. He 2018) shared several articles and tweets criticizing the Fethullah Gülen network. The case of former Trial of 28 journalists for aiding “media arm” of Zaman defense reporter Emre Soncan — who coup group to resume on 7 March now faces new charges in another case — was The next hearing in the trial of 28 defendants, 18 separated in the hearing. In the previous of whom are imprisoned, on charges of being hearing, the prosecutor asked for prison terms of part of the media arm of the Fethullah Gülen between 7.5 to 15 years for 24 of the of the network, which Turkey says is a terrorist suspects on charges of membership and again organization and accuses of being behind the for up to 15 years in prison for three on charges coup d’état attempt of 2016 will be heard on of having aided a terrorist group without being March 7. The last hearing was held over two days its member. on 22 and 23 February. Defendants submitted Background of trial statements for the last time before the verdict. A total of 13 suspects testified in the trial In the first hearing of the trial on 31 March, 21 including former Bugün reporter Cihan Acar, defendants were released from prison. Türk Solu magazine chief columnist Gökçe Fırat However, the judges were swiftly suspended and Çuhlhoğlu, Zaman reporters Habip Güler and eight were rearrested following a prosecutor’s Halil İbrahim Balta submitted their final objection to the release ruling — now possible statements. Former Haberdar journalist Ahmet under a Cabinet decree. For the other 13, the Memiş, Zaman journalist Ali Akkuş, Aksiyon prosecutors launched a new investigation which reporter Bünyamin Köseli, Meydan columnist was later merged with this trial. The charges of Atilla Taş and former Subuo News editor-in-chief “attempting to overthrow the government”, for Muhammet Sait Kuloğlu, who were released which the punishment is a life sentence, were pending trial, also testified in the trial. Initially, dropped later for all 13 and the initial accusation there were 29 defendants, but in the 22-23 of “terror organization membership” remained February hearing, the case of Emre Soncan, a in place for most of the suspects. The prosecutor Zaman defense correspondent. Defendants submitted his final opinion in a session in mostly explained what they had meant in a February. The defendants for whom the certain tweet or article, highlighting the true prosecutor demands 7.5 to 15 years for terror character of the case as a free speech trial. Cihan organization membership are: Atilla Taş

(Meydan newspaper), Bayram Kaya (Zaman HEALTH CONCERNS: See the questionnaire newspaper) , Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan Acar SOURCES: (Bugün newspaper), Emre Soncan (Zaman), Habip Güler(Zaman), Halil İbrahim Balta(Zaman), For more information in English: Hanım Büşra Erdal(Zaman), Ufuk Şanlı (Millet), Cuma Ulus (Habertürk), Mutlu Çölgeçen (Sabah) http://bianet.org/english/media/195007- , Amet Memiş (Haberdar), Ünal Tanık (Rota sentence-passed-in-feto-media-organization-in- haber news website) , Bünyamin Köseli (Aksiyon) which-28-journalists-tried , Davut Aydın, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, Yetkin https://cpj.org/data/people/abdullah- Yıldız, Yakup Çetin (Zaman) , Seyit Kılıç, Mustafa kilic/index.php Erkan Acar (Bugün), Hüseyin Aydın, Abdullah Kılıç (Habertürk newspaper), Ali Akkuş (Zaman) For more information in Turkish: and Oğuz Usluer (Habertürk TV). For Murat Bianet: Aksoy (Yeni Şafak, and later independent https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- columnist) and Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu (Türk Solu) abdullah-kilica-orgut-uyeliginden-6-yil-3-ay- the prosecutor asked for “aiding a terror hapis-cezasi-verildi/ organization without its membership”, which is also puınishable by between 7.5 to 15 years. Anatolia Agency: Bülent Ceyhan, a former Habertürk employee, https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/feto-sanigi- and Sait Sefa, the editor-in-chief of the Haberdar medya-mensuplarinin-bylock-erisimleri-ortaya- news website, are wanted as fugitives in the cikti/946216 case. The defendants are accused on the basis of their articles and tweets, although a few are also First hearing: accused of using ByLock, a mobile application https://m.bianet.org/bianet/insan- which the government links to affiliation with haklari/184871-29-gazeteci-ve-yazarin-feto- the Gülen network, which it calls as FETÖ/PYD, uyeligi-iddiasiyla-yargilandigi-dava-basladi or the Fethullahist Terror Organization/Parallel https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/fetonun- State Structure. medya-ayagi-hakim-karsisina-cikiyor/779979 PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years and 3 months Second hearing: LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law (TCK) https://m.bianet.org/bianet/ifade- 314-2 ozgurlugu/184937-29-gazetecinin-yargilandigi- davada-aihm-in-sik-ve-sener-kararina-atif CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/fetonun- CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Istanbul, Silivri medya-yapilanmasi-davasinda-tanik-gazeteciler- Prison dinlendi/806831 CONDITIONS of DETENTION: Last hearing: Information on his conditions of detention and http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/194548- health concerns can be found in a questionnaire 28-gazetecinin-yargilandigi-feto-medya- by Platform 24 (P24). yapilanmasi-davasinda-karar-aciklandi (Kurdish The Turkish version of the questionnaire is and English versions are available) available here.

6 http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/fetonun-medya- On his application to the European Court of yapilanmasinda-karar-genis-ha-40765897 Human Rights: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/fetonun- http://platform24.org/medya- medya-yapilanmasi-davasinda-karar/1083554 izleme/3334/aihm-kilic-in-basvurusuna-dair- turkiyeden-yanit-istedi On the ruling of the Court of Appeal: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/istinaf- fetonun-medya-yapilanmasi-davasinda-cezalari- onadi/1291769

ABDULLAH OZYURT

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Turkish government ordered closed by decree on July 27, 2016, using emergency powers it GENDER: Male assumed after the attempted coup, saying the PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for media outlets were FETÖ/PDY mouthpieces, Zaman newspaper and Cihan News Agency according to Turkey's Official Gazette. CPJ research shows that Turkish authorities have DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on persistently targeted Zaman journalists with the 25 July 2016. prosecutions and arrest on allegations of DETAILS of ARREST: terrorism. As of late 2016, Özyurt was jailed in Hatay Prison, a family member told CPJ, speaking Source 1: International Press Institute on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

Police detained Abdullah Özyurt, a reporter for Source 3: Expression Interrupted Zaman, shortly after the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt during sweeps targeting journalists The 11th High Criminal Court of Adana believed to be part of the religious movement sentenced Gezici, who was the only imprisoned led by Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah defendant in the case, as well as Yüksel Evsen Gulen, who Turkey’s government accuses of and Mustafa Naim Yalçınel, to nine years in having established a “parallel state structure” prison, while Abdullah Özyurt, a former reporter and for being behind the coup attempt. Özyurt for the Zaman daily, who had been released and was ordered arrested and placed in pre-trial put on house arrest in September, to 7 years and detention on July 25, 2016. 6 months in jail. An arrest warrant was issued for Özyurt. DETAILS of TRIAL: PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314\2 A court in the southern province of Adana on July 25, 2016, ordered Abdullah Özyurt, a reporter CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested for the shuttered daily newspaper Zaman, jailed CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A pending trial as part of a sweeping purge of journalists and others suspected of following CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, the daily HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A newspaper Evrensel reported, citing the Doğan News Agency. The government accuses Gülen of SOURCES: maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel For more information in Turkish: state structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the government calls it) within Turkey that it blames https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- for orchestrating a failed military coup on July gazetesi-muhabiri-abdullah-ozyurta-feto- 15, 2016. The Evrensel report did not specify uyeliginden-7-yil-6-ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ when police detained the journalist. Zaman was among the more than 100 newspapers, broadcasters, news agencies, and magazines the

8 https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/15-temmuz-darbe- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust girisimi/adanadaki-sorusturmada-13-fetocu- u-halde-gazeteciler-138/ icin-iddianame-hazirlandi/690719 http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/adanada-feto- sanigi-gazetecilerden-1i-tahliye-40580229

AHMET ALTAN

DATE of BIRTH: 2 March 1950 founded to implement FETÖ’s goals and that its coverage of a series of alleged conspiracies such GENDER: Male as Balyoz and Ergenekon cases was an attempt PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Journalist and to shape the public opinion in line with novelist instructions. It also said Altan’s comments during the Can Erzincan TV program on 14 July 2016 DATE of ARREST: First arrested on 10 September indicated that he had known about the coup 2016 attempt beforehand and cited his columns as DETAILS of TRIAL: further evidence that he had attempted to “overthrow the government” and is a “member Source 1: Expression Interrupted of FETÖ/PDY.” Altan’s lawyers filed an individual Ahmet Altan, a renowned novelist and former application with the Constitutional Court on editor-in-chief of the now-defunct Taraf behalf of him on 8 November 2016. More than newspaper, was first arrested on 10 September two months later, the lawyers took his case to 2016 along with his brother, Mehmet Altan, over the European Court of Human Rights on 12 alleged links with a network led by exiled cleric January 2017, citing lack of action from the Fethullah Gülen, which the government accuses Turkish Constitutional Court. The European of maintaining a terrorist organization – “the Court of Human Rights responded in February Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ/PDY)” that although it does not give the application a — and of staging a failed coup attempt on 15 July formal priority treatment under its Rule 41, it will 2016. Altan and his brother were arrested for take it up as soon as possible. In June 2017, the giving “subliminal messages” in support of the Strasbourg court further said that it had asked coup attempt during a television program they the Turkish government to present its defense attended on the shuttered Can Erzincan TV on on applications regarding the ongoing pre-trial the night of 14 July 2016. This accusation was detention of seven Turkish journalists, namely later dropped following an international Ahmet and Mehmet Altan, Nazlı Ilıcak, Murat backlash. On 21 September, they were Aksoy, Atilla Taş, Şahin Alpay and Ali Bulaç. In a questioned by the prosecutor of the case. letter to the Altan brothers’ lawyers, the court According to minutes of the interview, Altan was said that it gave the Turkish government until 4 charged with “attempting to overthrow the October 2017 to respond to a set of questions government,” “being a member of an armed about the pre-trial detention of the journalists. terrorist organization” and “propaganda for a Ahmet Altan has been indicted along with 16 terrorist organization.” On 22 September, the other people, including his brother, Mehmet Istanbul 10th Criminal Judgeship of Peace Altan, and Nazlı Ilıcak. State news agency ordered Altan be released on judicial control and Anadolu announced on 15 June 2017 that an banned him from traveling abroad. His brother indictment against the 17 people has been Mehmet Altan was jailed pending trial. But on 23 accepted by Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court. September, Altan was rearrested less than 24 The indictment sought three aggravated life hours later, following an objection from the sentences for Altan and his brother Mehmet prosecutor. According to the arrest decision Altan, as well as Nazlı Ilıcak, who co-hosted the reviewed by P24, the Taraf newspaper was program on Can Erzincan TV on the night of 14

July 2016, on charges of “attempting to for six of the suspects on charges of “attempting overthrow the constitutional order, Parliament, to overthrow the Constitutional order,” under and the government.” They also face an Article 309/1 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). additional prison term of up to 15 years for The court also ruled, in its interim decision, to “aiding a terrorist organization without being keep all of the imprisoned suspects in prison and members.” adjourned the session until February. The final hearing in the case was held on 12-16 February The full text of the indictment against Altan and 2018. The first day of the five-day hearing took other defendants — in Turkish — is available place in Çağlayan Courthouse in downtown here. Istanbul but the rest of the trial was moved to The first hearing of Altan’s trial was held on 19- Silivri at the decision of the presiding judge. 23 June at Istanbul 26th High Criminal Court, at Altan presented his final defense statement to the end of which the judges ruled to keep him the court on the second day of the hearing. and five other imprisoned defendants in jail. The Altan’s statement was interrupted several times next hearing of the trial was held on 19 by the chief judge, who warned him concerning September 2017. the contents of his statement. The judge warned Altan that his microphone would be switched off Altan’s defense statement, which he presented in case he “continued to divert from the to the court from prison via video conferencing prosecutor’s final opinion” and went on to system, is available here. “criticize the president.” In the face of the On 19 September, Altan attended the second warning by the chief judge, Altan had to skip two hearing of his trial again via video conferencing pages towards the end of his defense statement. system from Silivri Prison, where he was held. The full text of the defense statement presented The full text of Altan’s statement to the court is to the court by Altan is available here. available here. The court announced its verdict at the end of the The court again ruled to keep all imprisoned five-day hearing on 16 February, sentencing defendants, including Altan, behind bars at the Altan and five other imprisoned defendants to end of the second hearing, citing the gravity of aggravated life in prison for “attempting to the charges, length of the prison term that the overthrow the constitutional order.” charges carry and the possibility that the The appeal process defendants might flee. The third hearing in the trial was held on 13 November. At the end of the After the verdict was taken to appeal, the 2nd trial, where all four of the Altan brothers’ Criminal Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Court lawyers were expelled from the courtroom for of Justice, which acts as an appellate court, trying to speak on procedural issues, the court formally accepted the case on 27 June 2018. again decided to keep all imprisoned defendants With that decision, the court ruled to release behind bars. Mehmet Altan based on an earlier Constitutional Court ruling but decided to keep the rest of the A summary of the hearing is available here. defendants, including Ahmet Altan, in jail. The The fourth hearing was held on 11 December first appeal hearing took take place on 21 2017, at the 26th High Criminal Court of Istanbul. September 2018, when all six defendants in the The prosecutor submitted his final opinion in the case made their defense statements before the hearing, asking for an aggravated life sentence 2nd Criminal Chamber of the Istanbul Regional

Court of Justice. After the defense statements, asked, adding that the prosecutor’s final opinion the prosecutor submitted his final opinion of the was also ignoring the Constitutional Court’s case, insisting on the original charge and judgment in favor of Mehmet Altan by way of requesting that the defendants be given alleging crime without concrete evidence. aggravated life sentences for “attempting to Announcing its verdict at the end of the hearing, overthrow the constitutional order.” Issuing an the 2nd Criminal Chamber of the Istanbul interim ruling at the end of the hearing, the Regional Court of Justice rejected the appeals appellate court rejected requests from defense against the aggravated life sentences given in lawyers for the release of the five imprisoned February by the trial court, and ruled for the defendants and adjourned the trial until 2 continuation of detention of all imprisoned October 2018 to allow time for the defendants defendants in the case. The case is now headed and their lawyers to prepare their final defense for the Supreme Court of Appeals, which is the statements. During the final hearing on 2 second phase in the appeal process. October, all six defendants made their final Supreme Court of Appeals ruling defense statements in response to the prosecutor’s final opinion. Ahmet Altan was the On 8 January 2019, the Office of the General last defendant to address the court during the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals hearing. “This ugly vaudeville of a trial that requested the reversal of the appellate court’s began with ‘subliminal messages’ and reached verdict in the case. The Office of the General its peak with the prosecutor’s latest accusation Prosecutor said in their judicial opinion of ‘intangible threat’ has shown us the truth we submitted to the 16th Criminal Chamber of the have been facing,” Altan said, adding: “Firstly, Supreme Court of Appeals that Ahmet Altan, that a certain someone is hellbent on our Mehmet Altan and Nazlı Ilıcak should have been continued imprisonment. Secondly, that it is charged with “aiding a terrorist organization impossible to keep us in prison through lawful without being its member” instead of the much methods. And, that some members of the serious charge of “attempting to overthrow the judiciary can even risk their reputation, or constitutional order.” The judicial opinion committing crime due to the desperation that is asserted that “force and violence” were the caused by the conflict between the desire to essential elements of the charge of “attempting keep us in jail at all costs and the reality of the to overthrow the constitutional order” as rule of law.” “There is not even one substantial described in TCK 309, adding that the concepts evidence in this case file,” Altan continued, of “immaterial force” or “threat” were adding: “That is why [the prosecution] has been unacceptable in proving this charge in respect of coming up with absurdities like ‘subliminal the principle of legality.In the event the Chamber message,’ ‘immaterial force’ and ‘intangible rules in line with the Office of the General threat’.” “I do not mind spending my life in a Prosecutor’s judicial opinion, the case file prison cell because I feel as though I have been against the Altan brothers and Ilıcak will return wandering among the pages of a comic book. to the trial court for retrial, this time on the Nothing seems be of gravity or scary,” Altan said. charge of “aiding a terrorist group.” On 16 “If you try and reach a guilty verdict based on January 2019, Altan’s lawyer Figen Çalıkuşu filed accusations such as ‘subliminal,’ ‘immaterial a petition with the 16th Criminal Chamber of the force’ or ‘intangible threat’ that verdict loses all Supreme Court of Appeals in response to the its gravity.” “Can an intangible threat be general prosecutor’s judicial opinion. Çalıkuşu supported with substantial evidence?” Altan asserted in her petition that the new accusation

12 sought for Altan in the judicial opinion, “aiding a detention. The court handed down Ahmet Altan terrorist organization without being its a prison sentence of 10 years and 6 months. member,” was unacceptable and that her client Ruling in line with the prosecutor’s final opinion, should be acquitted and released. On 5 July the court acquitted Mehmet Altan and lifted the 2019, the 16th Criminal Chamber of the Supreme judicial control measures imposed on him. The Court of Appeals overturned the verdict court convicted the three remaining defendants rendered by the trial court that sentenced in the case — Fevzi Yazıcı, Yakup Şimşek and Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan, Nazlı Ilıcak and Şükrü Tuğrul Özşengül — of “membership in a three of their co-defendants to aggravated life terrorist group” and ruled for the continuation of imprisonment on the charge of “Attempting to their detention. Altan was released from the overthrow the constitutional order.” The Silivri Prison later on 4 November 2019 as per the Chamber ruled that Mehmet Altan should be court’s ruling after spending 1,138 days behind acquitted while Ahmet Altan and Nazlı Ilıcak bars as part of this case. should face the lesser charge of “aiding a Prosecutor’s objection and re-arrest terrorist organization without being its member.” The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office objected to Altan’s release on 6 November 2019. Retrial The trial court rejected the objection, which was The 26th High Criminal Court of Istanbul, issuing then reviewed by the 27th High Criminal Court of its decision for retrial on 18 July 2019, said it Istanbul, the next court of first instance, which is would take up the case on 8 October 2019. The authorized to review decisions by the 26th High court rejected the requests for Ahmet Altan, Criminal Court. Accepting the prosecutor’s Nazlı Ilıcak and their three co-defendants, who objection, the 27th High Criminal Court ruled on have all been in pre-trial detention for more than 12 November 2019 for Altan’s re-arrest on the three years as part of this case, to be released grounds that “the judicial control measures pending trial. The retrial of the “coup” case imposed on him” remained “insufficient against Ahmet Altan, his brother, Mehmet Altan, considering flight risk … the intensity of his and their four co-defendants got under way on 8 actions, the duration of the prison sentence he October 2019 at the 26th High Criminal Court of was given, the time he spent in detention on Istanbul. At the end of the hearing, the court remand … as well as his conduct following his decided to abide by the Supreme Court of release.” The court refused to notify Altan’s Appeals ruling and to keep the five imprisoned lawyer Çalıkuşu of the ruling. News of the ruling defendants in the case in pre-trial detention. The and the arrest warrant against Altan was made trial adjourned until 4 November 2019. public by the pro-government Sabah daily first. Altan was re-arrested at around 9 p.m. on 12 Verdict and release November at his Istanbul home, several hours The second hearing of the retrial of Altans case after the 27th High Criminal Court issued a took place on 4 November 2019 at the 26th High warrant for Altan as it revoked the 26th High Criminal Court of Istanbul. Announcing its verdict Criminal Court’s order for his release. He was at the end of the hearing, the court convicted taken to the Istanbul Police Department, where both Ahmet Altan and Nazlı Ilıcak of “aiding a he remained in custody until the next day. On 13 terrorist organization without being its member” November, Altan appeared before the 27th High and ruled to release both, taking into Criminal Court, where he was informed about consideration the time they spent in pre-trial the decision for his re-arrest. Altan was sent back

13 to the Silivri Prison on 13 November 2019, only Altan is also charged with “spreading eight days after his release pending appeal. propaganda for a terrorist organization” and “insulting the president” in a separate case. The Constitutional Court application charges stem from an article Altan wrote in Altan’s lawyers filed an individual application 2016, “Ezip Geçmek,” which is also included as with the Constitutional Court on behalf of him on evidence in the case file of the “coup” trial. 8 November 2016. Two months later, on 12 The indictment in Turkish is available here. January 2017, the lawyers took his case to the European Court of Human Rights, citing lack of Both trials are overseen by the Istanbul 26th action from the Constitutional Court. On 4 July High Criminal Court. The first hearing of this case 2018, the Constitutional Court’s First Section took place on 5 December 2017. Altan presented reviewed Altan’s individual application his defense statement during the hearing. At the concerning admissibility and merits. The section second hearing, held on 4 January 2018, the then referred Altan’s application to the Plenary. prosecutor submitted his final opinion, On 26 April 2019, the Constitutional Court demanding prison sentences for Altan on announced that its Plenary would finally take up charges of “insulting the president” and Altan’s individual application, along with those “spreading propaganda for the terrorist filed on behalf of nine other journalists, including organization (PKK)” through several expressions his co-defendant Nazlı Ilıcak, on 2 May 2019. in Altan’s column. The Istanbul 26th High Rendering its judgment on 3 May, the Plenary Criminal Court sentenced Altan to five years and rejected Altan’s application, finding no rights 11 months in prison for “spreading propaganda violations in his file. The court also rejected the for a terrorist organization” and “insulting the application of Nazlı Ilıcak, Altan’s co-defendant president” in his column at the end of the final in the “coup” case. The court rendered all hearing held on 28 February 2018. In his final decisions, except for the one concerning Ilıcak’s defense statement to the court before the file, through a majority vote. The Constitutional verdict was announced, Altan defended the Court’s Plenary issued the judgments concerning views expressed in his column and pointed out its 3 May 2019 decisions on 26 June 2019 on its once again the fact that he was put on trial twice official website. The judgments concerning the for the same article. On 19 March 2019, Altan rejected applications said, in a nutshell, that “the was given a prison sentence of 11 months and 20 assessments made by the investigation days on the charge of “insulting the president” in authorities and the decisions rendered by the a separate case where the accusation stemmed courts that ruled for [the journalists’] arrests from a 2016 article titled “Yeni Ergenekon” that could not be deemed as ‘arbitrary and was published on P24’s website. The 30th baseless’.” In Ahmet Altan’s application, the Criminal Court of First Instance of Istanbul President of the Constitutional Court Zühtü commuted the sentence to a fine of TL 7,000. Arslan, Vice President Engin Yıldırım and three Altan is currently in Silivri Prison, serving a 10- other justices disagreed with the majority year and 6-month sentence he was given on 4 opinion. All five judges were of the opinion that November 2019 at the end of the retrial of the Altan’s arrest violated his rights to liberty and Altans case. security and freedom of expression and freedom PRISON SENTENCE: 10 years and 6 months of the press. CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted “Propaganda” and “insult” cases

CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, SOURCES: İstanbul For more information in English: CONDITIONS of DETENTION: https://cpj.org/data/people/ahmet- Information on his conditions of detention and husrevaltan/index.php health concerns can be found in a questionnaire For more information in Turkish: by Platform 24 (P24). https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/ahmet- The Turkish version of the questionnaire is altan/ available here. https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/?fwp_searc HEALTH CONCERNS: See questionnaire above. hd=Ahmet%20Altan

AHMET FEYZULLAH ÖZYURT

DATE of BIRTH: N/A columnist Ahmet Sağılrı, Yusuf Duran, Ahmet Feyzullah Özyurt, Sait Gürkan Tuzlu and Mutlu GENDER: Male Özay. PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Columnist DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A DATE of ARREST: PRISON SENTENCE: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 Source 1: Expression Interrupted CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested The 35 journalists are being sought on charges of CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A “membership in a terrorist,” organization, the state-owned Anatolian News Agency said. The CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A agency also reported that the warrants had been HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A issued as part of a probe into the “media arm of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).” SOURCES:

Nine of the 35 journalists were taken into police For more information in English: custody in the morning of August 10. Those who were detained are BirGün newspaper’s internet https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- editor Burak Ekici, shuttered Zaman daily’s and in-state-of-emergency-85/ Cihan News Agency reporter Muhsin Pilgir, İhlas For more information in Turkish: news agency investigations chief editor Ömer Faruk Aydemir, Cüneyt Seza Özkan who worked https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- as a news editor at the shuttered Samanyolu ahmet-feyzullah-ozyurt-bylock-kullandigi- Haber news station, former Türkiye newspaper iddiasiyla-feto-uyeliginden-yargilaniyor/

AHMET MEMIS

DATE of BIRTH: 19 April 1974 objected to the release of eight of them and the release order for the other 13 was blocked hours GENDER: Male later. The defendants – with the exception of PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter and Akkuş, who was freed after having been news coordinator at Rotahaber and Haberdar. imprisoned since July 30, 2016 – remained Mainly covering business, corruption, crime, behind bars and the judges who made the order culture, human rights, politics, sports, war. were suspended. Prosecutors later brought new charges against 13 of the journalists on charges DATE of ARREST: 29 August 2016 of trying to overthrow the government and the DETAILS of ARREST: N/A constitutional order. Those facing the new charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, DETAILS of TRIAL: Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız.

Ahmet Memiş, a reporter for Haberdar, was Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists ordered arrested on Sept. 2, 2016 as part of a Police detained Ahmet Memiş, news coordinator purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.- of internet news portal Haberdar, on July 24, based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s 2016. Memiş, then 42, turned himself in to police government accuses of having established a in Istanbul when he learned that they went to his “parallel state structure” and who it blames for home to detain him in his absence, according to the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Memiş is press reports. According to court documents CPJ one of 29 journalists charged in a case accusing reviewed, the judge who ordered the journalist's them of having been part of the Gülen detention pending trial on suspicion of being a movement’s “media wing”. They face up to 10 member of a terrorist organization asked him years in prison if convicted. As of May 2, 2017, about his work for Haberdar and for the news other journalists imprisoned in connection with website Rotahaber, where Memiş worked as an the case include Abdullah Kılıç, Atilla Taş, Bayram editor from 2010 to 2015. Both websites Kaya, Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, stopped operating soon after a failed military Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Emre Soncan, Gökçe coup on July 15, 2016, amid a sweeping Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habib Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, crackdown on suspected followers of exiled Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat Aksoy, preacher Fethullah Gülen. The Turkish Mustafa Erkan Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, Oğuz government accuses Gülen of maintaining a Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup terrorist organization and parallel state Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız. Six other journalists face structure, which it calls FETÖ/PDY and which it charges in the case, including Ali Akkuş, Bülent alleges was behind the attempted coup. The Ceyhan, Davut Aydın, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, judge also asked Memiş if he had any Muhterem Tanık and Said Sefa, the latter of involvement with a Twitter account named Fuat whom reportedly had fled the country. On Avni (@fuatavni), which claims to be the work of March 31, 2017 a court in Turkey ordered 21 of someone from within Turkish President Recep the imprisoned defendants released Tayyip Erdoğan's inner circle. Memiş denied any conditionally, but prosecutors successfully connection to the account. Memiş was asked

17 about news reports on Fuat Avni's tweets in in prison, according to reports. The court Rotahaber and whether he was in any way acquitted all the defendants of the more serious responsible for publishing opinion columns in coup-related charges in the second indictment. Haberdar. Memiş's wife, Pınar Memiş, told CPJ At least 18 of the journalists were sent to prison that her husband decided to prepare his own for varying prison terms. Two of them-- Atilla Taş defense for the trial because they could not and Murat Aksoy—were sentenced and released afford legal fees. The Turkish legal system allows for time served, and the journalists Bünyamin defendants to ask for a public defender if they Köseli and Cihan Acar remain free pending the cannot afford a lawyer. "He was not a member appeal, according to reports. Lawyers for the of a [terrorist organization], he did not aide them journalists told CPJ they are appealing the financially. He was just a journalist," Pınar Memiş verdict. As of late 2018, the local appeal process said. Memiş is on trial with several other was ongoing. As of late 2018, Memiş was being journalists. In the original indictment, all but one detained in Silivri Prison, Istanbul. of them were charged with “being a member of Source 3: Bianet – 9 March 2018 an armed [terrorist] organization,” which carries up to 10 years in prison, according to reports. Sentence Passed in ‘FETÖ Media Organization’ The indictment accused the defendants of in Which 28 Journalists Tried manipulating public perception of FETÖ to turn people against the government, which, Sentence has been passed in trial of 28 media prosecutors argued, made them members of the workers 18 of whom are arrested including group. CPJ found the indictment to be similar to journalist Murat Aksoy and musician Atilla Taş those presented at trials of other journalists in charged with “being a member of an illegal Turkey. Prosecutors cited as evidence organization” and “attempting coup”. Sentence journalistic activity or acts of free speech and has been passed in trial of 28 media workers 18 communication, or cited circumstantial evidence of whom are arrested including journalist Murat such as being employed by a certain media Aksoy and musician Atilla Taş charged with outlet or having an account at a bank allegedly “being a member of an illegal organization” and linked to Gülenists. In Memiş’s case, prosecutors “attempting coup”. The defendants are accused cited as evidence his employment at Haberdar of being affiliated with "Fethullahist Terrorist and Rotahaber and alleged that he published Organization (FETÖ)" media organization. content from, and reports about, the Fuat Avni İstanbul 25th Heavy Penal Court ordered Twitter account. When the trial started in March acquittal of all defendants over charge of “coup 2017, an Istanbul court ordered Memiş and attempt”. Taş and Aksoy received sentence over several of the other journalists to be released “aid” The court separated files of Bülent Ceyhan while the case was heard, according to news and Said Sefa whose warrants weren’t executed. reports. Prosecutors successfully appealed the The court sentenced Atilla Taş to 3 years 1 month decision, and authorities ordered an and 15 days in prison on charge of “Knowingly investigation into the judges who had ordered and willingly aiding an illegal organization as a the release and they were relieved of duty, non-member”. The court rejected prosecutor’s according to the reports. An Istanbul court on demand for arrest of Taş. International travel March 8, 2018, found Memiş and at least 21 of ban imposed on Taş continues. The court the other journalists on trial guilty of "being a sentenced Murat Aksoy to 2 years and 1 month member of a [terrorist] organization,” and in prison on charge of “Knowingly and willingly sentenced Memiş to seven years and six months aiding an illegal organization as a non-member”. The court rejected prosecutor’s demand for

18 arrest of Aksoy. International travel ban imposed HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A on Aksoy continues. SOURCES: One acquittal For more information in English: Defendant Muhterem Tanık was acquitted of all https://www.mlsaturkey.com/en/trial-of-28- charges. journalists-for-aiding-media-arm-of-coup- Jail term for “membership” group-to-resume-on-7-march/

The court sentenced defendants Ahmet Memiş, For more information in Turkish: Ali Akkuş, Muhammet Sait Kuloğlu, Multlu https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- Çölgeçen, Seyid Kılıç, Ünal Tanık, Erkan Acar, ahmet-memise-orgut-uyeliginden-7-yil-6-ay- Oğuz Usluer, Davut Aydın, Ufuk Şanlı, Yetkin hapis-cezasi-verildi/ Yıldız, Cuma Ulus to 7 years and 6 months in prison on charge of “being a member of an illegal First hearing: organization. Cihan Acar, Bünyamin Köseli, İbrahim Balta, Bayram Kaya, Cemal Azmi https://m.bianet.org/bianet/insan- Kalyoncu, Habip Güler, Hanım Büşra Erdal, Yakup haklari/184871-29-gazeteci-ve-yazarin-feto- Çetin, Hüseyin Aydın, Abdullah Kılıç ve Gökçe uyeligi-iddiasiyla-yargilandigi-dava-basladi Fırat Çulhaoğlu were sentenced to 6 years and 3 https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/fetonun- months in prison by the same charge. medya-ayagi-hakim-karsisina-cikiyor/779979

One arrest Second hearing:

Ali Akkuş, who was pending trial without arrest, https://m.bianet.org/bianet/ifade- was arrested. The names of those tried in ozgurlugu/184937-29-gazetecinin-yargilandigi- alphabetical order is as follows: davada-aihm-in-sik-ve-sener-kararina-atif

Abdullah Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Atilla https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/fetonun- Taş, Bayram Kaya, Bülent Ceyhan, Bünyemin medya-yapilanmasi-davasinda-tanik-gazeteciler- Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan Acar, Cuma dinlendi/806831 Ulus, Davut Aydın, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habip Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, Hanım Büşra Erdal, Final hearing: http://bianet.org/bianet/insan- Hüseyin Aydın, Muhammet Sait Kuloğlu, haklari/194548-28-gazetecinin-yargilandigi- Muhterem Tanık, Murat Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan feto-medya-yapilanmasi-davasinda-karar- Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, Oğuz Usluer, Said Sefa, aciklandi (Kurdish and English versions available) Seyid Kılıç, Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin, http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/fetonun-medya- Yetkin Yıldız. yapilanmasinda-karar-genis-ha-40765897

CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested On the ruling of the Court of Appeal:

PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/istinaf- CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Istanbul, Silivri fetonun-medya-yapilanmasi-davasinda-cezalari- Prison onadi/1291769

CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

AHMET METIN SEKIZKARDES

DATE of BIRTH: N/A group’s financial support. It also accuses the group of “using the media as a weapon” to GENDER: Male “manipulate society”, and alleges that Zaman PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Columnist/op- employed “columnists with ideas that could ed contributor for Zaman newspaper. Former have supported the organization”. The manager of Cihan media company which was newspaper was shuttered in May 2016 after it affiliated with Feza Media Group. Feza Media was seized by the state. As of April 28, 2017, Group is best known by publishing Zaman other journalists imprisoned in the case include newspaper. Ahmet Turan Alkan, Alaattin Güner, Ali Bulaç, Cuma Kaya, Faruk Akkan, Hakan Taşdelen, DATE of ARREST: 5 August 2016 Hüseyin Turan, İbrahim Karayeğen, Mehmet DETAILS of ARREST: Özdemir, Mümtazer Türköne, Murat Avcıoğlu, Mustafa Ünal, Şahin Alpay, Şeref Yılmaz and Source 1: International Press Institute Zafer Özsoy.

Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, a columnist/op-ed Source 2: Expression Interrupted contributor for Zaman newspaper, was ordered arrested on Aug. 5, 2016 as part of the In his defense statement, Ahmet Metin government purge of individuals accused of Sekizkardeş rejected accusations that he had spreading propaganda for the outlawed been a vice chair of the executive board in the movement headed by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah company, adding that he is an academic. He also Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of rejected allegations that he was a ByLock user, having established a “parallel state structure” an encrypted messaging app purported to be and who it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 used by the members of the Fethullah Gülen coup attempt. network. Sekizkardeş told the court that all of his academic work during his time with the Fatih DETAILS of TRIAL: University was under the supervision of the Source 1: International Press Institute Higher Education Board (YÖK), adding that there was no court decision or any criminal On April 27, 2017, an Istanbul court accepted an investigation at the time suggesting that the indictment against Sekizkardeş and 29 other university might be under the guidance of a former Zaman Media Group employees that terrorist group. Adding that accusations in the accuses them of attempting to overthrow the prosecutor’s final opinion were not substantial, government, the Constitution and Parliament, Sekizkardeş requested his acquittal and release and which seeks three consecutive life sentences from detention. for each suspect. The indictment also seeks another 15 years for each suspect on charges of Source 3: Platform 24 (P24) being members of a terrorist organisation. The Eighteen defendants whose files were separated indictment alleges that Zaman, which was from the ongoing trial into the columnists and founded in 1986, was fully taken over by the employees of the shuttered Zaman newspaper Gülen movement the following year and was appeared before the 13th High Criminal Court of able to continue operating only due to the Istanbul on April 27. They began making their

20 final defense statements in response to the http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ accusations in the prosecutor’s final opinion, 882065/ilk_Gulen_roportajini_yapan_Nuriye_A submitted during the previous hearing. Eight of kman__Roportaji_Sabah_icin_yaptim.html the defendants -- Hüseyin Turan, Ahmet Metin On the Zaman trial: Sekizkardeş, Murat Avcıoğlu, Osman Nuri Arslan, Ahmet İrem, Zafer Özsoy, Alaattin Güner and https://m.bianet.org/bianet/medya/189901- Cuma Kaya -- gave their defense statements zaman-davasi-basliyor-gazeteciler-darbe- during Friday’s session. The lawyer representing tesebbusu-ile-yargilaniyor defendant Osman Nuri Öztürk requested that his file is separated from this case, while the court First hearing: decided to hear the statement of Şeref Yılmaz at https://m.bianet.org/bianet/medya/189902- a later session after his lawyer refused to address zaman-davasinin-ilk-durusmasinda-saniklar- the court during Friday’s session on grounds of savunma-yapiyor new evidence against him to have been presented through witness testimony. The http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ hearing will continue with more defense 825936/Zaman_yazarlari_bugun_ilk_kez_hakim statements on Monday, April 30. _karsisinda.html

PRISON SENTENCE: 9 years Second hearing:

LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314\2 https://m.bianet.org/bianet/medya/189968- zaman-davasinda-tahliye-yok CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested https://m.bianet.org/bianet/medya/192285- CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A zaman-davasinda-uc-tahliye

CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A Final hearing:

HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A https://m.bianet.org/bianet/insan- SOURCES: haklari/195863-zaman-davasinda-esas- hakkinda-mutalaa-aciklandi For more information in English: https://m.bianet.org/bianet/ifade- For more information about Zaman trial: ozgurlugu/198939-zaman-davasinda-karar-6- http://platform24.org/en/media- gazeteciye-hapis-cezasi monitoring/522/journalists-in-state-of- emergency---91

For more information in Turkish: https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/cihan- medya-yonetim-kurulu-baskan-yardimcisi- ahmet-metin-sekizkardese-feto-uyeliginden-9- yil-hapis-cezasi-verildi/

AHMET YAVAŞ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A quarterly Media Monitoring Reports by bianet, as of April 1, 2017, there are eight TRT GENDER: Male employees among journalists taken into custody PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Turkish Radio under the State of Emergency declared on July and Television Network (TRT) 20 and put behind bars. Since July 20, 63 journalists and media representatives working in DATE of ARREST: 23 July 2016 national and local media outlets close to the DETAILS of TRIAL: Gülen Community were put behind bars. The names of the eight former TRT employees are as Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) follows: Ahmet Yavaş (TRT radio Erzurum Ahmet Yavaş, Erzurum correspondent for state- correspondent), Ali Yüce (TRT radio broadcasting owned Turkish Radio and Television Network manager), Ersin Şanlı (TRT domestic news (TRT), was arrested on July 23, 2016 as part of a manager), Hakan Aksel (TRT News and Sports purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.- Department Coordinator Assistent and based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s Producer), Halil İbrahim Mert (TRT TV Erzurum government accuses of having established a cameraperson), Nuri Durna (TRT Erzurum “parallel state structure” and who it blames for correspondent), Yalçın Güler (TRT Erzurum the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. correnspondent), Seyid Kılıç (TRT correspondent). Source 2: Bianet PRISON SENTENCE: N/A 34 Detention Order for 34 Former TRT Staff LEGISLATION USED: N/A Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has ordered detention for 34 former employers of CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested TRT claimed to be users of ByLock, an encrypted CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A communication software allegedly used among members of the Gülen Community. (İstanbul - CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A BIA News Desk 12 July 2017, Wednesday 15:27) HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has ordered detention for 34 former employers of SOURCES: Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) For more information in Turkish: claimed to be users of ByLock, an encrypted communication software allegedly used among https://bianet.org/bianet/insan- members of the Gülen Community. According to haklari/188217-34-eski-trt-calisani-hakkinda- the report of the state-run Anadolu Agency, gozalti-karari# Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor' Office has For more information in Kurdish: ordered the detention as a part of the investigation into members of "Fethullahist http://bianet.org/kurdi/hiquq/188228- Terrorist Organization (FETÖ)" in state dozgeriya-enqereye-biryara-girtina-34- institutions and organizations. Eight TRT xebatkaren-trtye-da employees behind bars According to the

ALİ AHMET BÖKEN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A crime and only did his job as a journalist. Böken also said he has never used ByLock, an encrypted GENDER: Male mobile messaging application purported to be PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Turkish Radio used exclusively by the members of the and Television Network (TRT) Coordinator, Fethullah Gülen network. He only used Kakao columnist for now-closed Samanyolu TV, which Talk, another application under scrutiny, Böken was allegedly linked to the Gülen movement. said, adding that his use of the app wasn’t related to the activities of any organization. “I DETAILS of ARREST: didn’t do anything other than serving my Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) country,” Böken said, as his lawyers demanded his acquittal. Böken has been in pretrial Ali Ahmet Böken, a former TRT News detention since August 2016 and was dismissed Coordinator, was arrested as part of a purge of from the TRT in September 2016. journalists allegedly linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen. Accused of “membership in a PRISON SENTENCE: 9 years and 9 months terrorist organisation”, he faces up to 15 years in LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 prison. Böken was also a former columnist for now-closed Samanyolu TV, which was allegedly CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested linked to the Gülen movement. CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL: CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A Source 1: Expression Interrupted HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Former TRT executive Ali Ahmet Böken SOURCES: convicted of “membership in an armed terrorist organization” sentenced to 9 years, 9 months in For more information in English: prison. Jailed journalist Ali Ahmet Böken, a http://platform24.org/en/articles/614/journalis former executive for the Turkish public ts-in-state-of-emergency---132 broadcaster TRT, was sentenced to 9 years and 9 months in prison on April 3, 2018, on the charge For more information in Turkish: of “membership in a terrorist organization” during the final hearing of the trial against him at https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/15-temmuz-darbe- the 18th High Criminal Court of Ankara. Böken’s girisimi/eski-trt-yoneticisi-bokene-fetoden- imprisonment on remand will continue during hapis-cezasi/1106801 the appeal process, the court also ruled. In his https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/eski-trt- closing statements, the prosecutor requested yoneticisi-bokenin-15-yila-kadar-hapsi- between 7.5 years and 15 years in prison for istendi/1039747 Böken for “membership in FETÖ,” the name given by the Turkish government to the religious http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/trtnin-eski- Fethullah Gülen network. Böken said in his yonetici-ali-ahmet-bokene-9-yil-9-40793053 defense statement that he didn’t commit any

ALİ AKKUŞ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A considered it a FETÖ/PDY mouthpiece. The government used emergency powers assumed GENDER: Male after the failed July 15, 2016, military coup to PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor for order the newspaper closed by decree on July Zaman newspaper 27, 2016. In the indictment against Akkuş, prosecutors cited as evidence the journalist's DATE of ARREST: 30 July 2016 employment at Zaman, as well as several of his DETAILS of TRIAL: tweets that were allegedly critical of the government and its oppression of Turkish media. Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years, 6 months An editor for Zaman newspaper, Ali Akkus was detained shortly after the failed July 15, 2016 LEGISLATION USED: N/A coup attempt during sweeps targeting CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested journalists believed to be part of the religious movement led by Pennsylvania-based cleric CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A accuses of having established a “parallel state structure” and of being behind the coup HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A attempt. Akkus is accused of “being a member of SOURCES: an armed terrorist organisation." For more information in English: Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) https://www.mlsaturkey.com/en/trial-of-28- Ali Akkuş, a news editor for the shuttered daily journalists-for-aiding-media-arm-of-coup- Zaman, was taken into custody on March 8, 2018 group-to-resume-on-7-march/ after an Istanbul court found him guilty of "being a member of a [terrorist] organization, and https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- sentenced him to seven years and six months in in-state-of-emergency-122/ prison, according to reports. Police first detained Akkuş alongside dozens of other journalists in For more information in Turkish: July 2016 as part of a broad purge of suspected https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- followers of exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, gazetesi-genel-yayin-editoru-ali-akkusa-orgut- whom the Turkish government accuses of uyeliginden-7-yil-6-ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel state structure" (FETÖ/PDY, by its Turkish https://bianet.org/bianet/insan- acronym) and of masterminding a July 15, 2016, haklari/194548-28-gazetecinin-yargilandigi- failed military coup. An Istanbul court in March feto-medya-yapilanmasi-davasinda-karar- 2016 ordered the Feza Media Group, which aciklandi owned Zaman and several other media outlets, placed under trustees appointed by the government on the grounds that the court

ALİ AŞİKAR

DATE of BIRTH: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

GENDER: Male LEGISLATION USED: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Azadiya Welat CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Van M-type DATE of ARREST: 26 August 2016 prison

DETAILS of TRIAL: CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

Source 1: International Press Institution (IPI) HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

Ali Aşikar, a reporter of the now-closed Azadiya SOURCES: Welat, was arrested on Aug. 26, 2016 and For more information in English: charged with “committing crime in the name of a terrorist organisation.” Aşikar was detained https://cpj.org/blog/2016/08/turkey- along with Erdem Mühirci from Dicle News crackdown-chronicle-week-of-august-21.php Agency (DİHA) on accusations of terrorist propaganda and held in Van M-type prison. For more information in Turkish: Azadiya Welat, one of Turkey’s first Kurdish- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust language daily newspapers, was shut down on u-halde-gazeteciler-17/ Oct. 29, 2016 under State of Emergency Decree 675.

ALİ ÜNAL

DATE of BIRTH: N/A terrorist organization and "parallel state structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the government GENDER: Male calls it) within Turkey that it blames for PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Columnist for orchestrating a failed military coup on July 15, Zaman newspaper, author and translator 2016. Authorities transferred Ünal to a detention facility in Istanbul on August 15, 2016, DATE of ARREST: 14 August 2016 CNN Turk reported, and a court in Istanbul DETAILS of ARREST: arraigned the journalist the following day on accusations of "being a member of an armed Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) terrorist organization," "aiding a [terrorist] A columnist for Zaman newspaper, Ali Ünal was organization," and "making propaganda for a arrested on Aug. 14, 2016 at his home in the [terrorist] organization," according to press western province of Uşak. He is accused of being reports, which did not identify the name of the a follower of Pennsylvania-based cleric Fethullah detention center where he was held. A court in Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of March 2016 ordered the government to appoint having established a “parallel state structure” trustees to manage Feza Media Group, which and who it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 formerly published Zaman, saying the company coup attempt. had links to FETÖ/PDY. The government then used emergency powers it assumed after the DETAILS of TRIAL: failed July 2016 coup attempt to order the newspaper closed by decree. Police have Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) arrested dozens of former Zaman journalists on Ünal was charged with being a member of a terrorism charges, citing their former terrorist organisation and reportedly sent to a employment at the newspaper as evidence. In detention facility in Istanbul on Aug. 15, 2016. In July 2017, the state-run Anatolia News Agency March 2016, an Istanbul court ordered the Feza reported that prosecutors presented a 228-page Media Group, which owned Zaman, placed indictment against Ünal to the 2nd Uşak Court of under trustees appointed by the government. Serious Crimes. The indictment did not specify Zaman was closed by government decree on July the exact charges but said that authorities 27, 2016. recognized Ünal as a leader of FETÖ. If convicted, the journalist could be sentenced to two life Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists sentences without the possibility of parole plus a Police detained Ali Ünal, a former columnist and further 29 and a half years. Anatolia reported lead writer for the shuttered daily newspaper that the indictment described Ünal as head Zaman, at his house in the western province of writer for Zaman and claimed he was “managing Uşak on August 14, 2016, as part of a sweeping the media operations of FETÖ” to manipulate purge of suspected followers of exiled preacher the public. The indictment claimed that Ünal was Fethullah Gülen, according to press reports. The allegedly close to and in direct contact with government accuses Gülen of maintaining a Gülen; had traveled abroad 46 times and met

26 with Gülen on most trips; and translated some of did not understand why he was being tried as Gülen’s books, Anatolia reported. The one. He said, “I have no connections to any indictment did not specify the time frame for the terrorist organizations. I started to travel to the alleged travel and meetings. The indictment U.S. after 1996 for translating books. I have met added that Ünal had an app called Kakoa Talk, with Fehullah Gülen five to six times. He liked me which is similar to Bylock, the encrypted asking questions, so I have had some meetings. I communication app that authorities claim is do not know anybody from the organization’s evidence of FETÖ membership. Ünal also had an structure in the military, judiciary or police. The account at Bank Asya, which the government prosecution accuses me of “attempting to also claims is evidence of FETÖ membership. The overthrow the constitutional order.” I heard of first hearing of the trial was held on January 4, the coup on July 16, on the TV.” 2018, the state-owned Anatolia Agency Source 3: Expression Interrupted reported. In his court testimony, Ünal said the only connection he had with the Fethullah Gülen Ali Ünal was a longtime columnist for the Zaman community was as a columnist and translator. He daily, which was shut down through a statutory said he had an account at Bank Asya because decree under Turkey’s state of emergency in the that was how he was paid for his work at Zaman. aftermath of the failed coup attempt of 15 July Ünal denied installing the Kakoa Talk program on 2016. Ünal was taken into custody on 14 August his phone. Ünal denied all the charges against 2016 in his hometown of Uşak as part of an him and said he was against military coups. In investigation into the members of the religious another hearing on July 18, 2018, Ünal said he movement led by Fethullah Gülen, labeled in did not travel to the U.S. under the orders of an 2016 by the government as a terrorist organization and he does not have a close organization and accused of being the relationship with Fethıllah Gülen, reports said. “I perpetrators behind the failed coup. Ünal, his have no activity, but my writing. I am on trial for brother, Mustafa Ünal, and two others who were my ideas. I just wrote columns,” Ünal said at the arrested during the same operation were taken hearing. The prosecution and their witnesses to the court on 16 August. The court jailed all argue that Ünal was a close adviser to Fethullah four on the charges of “membership in an armed Gülen according to the same reports. Ünal’s trial terrorist organization,” “aiding a terrorist was ongoing in late 2018, reports said. As of late organization” and “disseminating propaganda 2018, CPJ was unable to find contact details for a for a terrorist organization.” The indictment into legal representative for Ünal. He was held in Ali Ünal was submitted to the 2nd High Criminal Izmir No.2 F Type prison, according to news Court of Uşak in July 2017, almost one year after reports. A court in Uşak on November 14, 2018 Ünal was jailed pending trial. The 228-page convicted Ali Ünal, a former columnist for the document accused Ünal of being one of “the shuttered daily Zaman, of “founding and leading leaders of FETÖ/PDY” and claimed he had direct an armed terrorist organization” and sentenced ties to Fethullah Gülen. The indictment said Ünal him to 19 years and six months in prison, the translated Gülen’s books, made 46 trips abroad, news website Diken reported. The court and he met with Gülen during a majority of those acquitted the journalist of coup- related charges, trips. The indictment sought two life sentences which could have resulted in life sentences, for Ünal for being an administrator of according to the report. In his final statement to “FETÖ/PDY” and an additional 29.5 years in the court, Ünal said that he was not named as an prison. Evidence against Ünal includes 17 of his organization leader in any other FETÖ trials so he newspaper columns and various spoken

27 remarks. His cell phone, seized by authorities was charged on the basis of 17 articles cited in during his arrest, is subject to examination as the indictment but that 11 of them were part of the case. The first hearing of Ali Ünal’s published in 2011 and 2012 and had nothing to trial on the charges of “attempting to overthrow do with the charges. Ünal said the government the constitutional order,” “establishing and had acted together with the Gülen movement leading an armed terrorist organization” and until 17 December 2013, when news of a “membership in a terrorist organization” was corruption investigation targeting businessmen held on 4 January 2018 at the 2nd High Criminal and politicians close to the government broke Court of Uşak. Ünal’s brother is a co-defendant out, and that the pro-government media had in the case. In his defense statement during the also strongly supported the group until that nine-hour hearing, Ali Ünal talked about the 17 date. “It is unacceptable that such massive newspaper columns for which he is indicted. support from the government is left aside but I Asserting that he had been in prison for 17 am put on trial for attempted coup by writing months, Ünal pleaded for his release. In its columns once a week,” Ünal said. “One of the interim ruling at the end of the hearing, the biggest supporters of the group of which I am panel ruled for the separation of Mustafa Ünal’s now accused of being a mastermind was the file and his release under judicial control government,” he said. Ünal also denied measures while ordering the continuation of Ali accusations that he had supported alleged coup Ünal’s detention. The court adjourned the trial plot trials “Ergenekon” and “Balyoz,” saying until 27 February 2018. At the second hearing of there was not a single column where he clearly the trial on 27 February, the trial court again spoke in favor of these trials. “The biggest ruled for the continuation of Ünal’s detention. defender of these trials was Recep Tayyip The court adjourned the trial until 10 May 2018 Erdoğan and this is very well known by the to allow additional time for the examination of public,” Ünal said. After Ünal completed his Ünal’s mobile phone. During the third hearing defense statement, the court went on to (For details about the third hearing on 10 May, announce its interim decision in which it ruled the prosecution submitted additional evidence that Veren and Polat testify as witnesses in a against Ünal, consisting of two newspaper courtroom near their place of residence. The columns and a news story published in pro- panel also ruled for the continuation of Ünal’s government dailies Yeni Akit and Akşam. Ünal’s detention and adjourned the trial until 18 July lawyer, Ayşe Süeda Ünal, requested that 2018. The court also ruled to ask the Information Nurettin Veren, who penned the two Yeni Akit and Communication Technologies Authority columns and Hasan Polat, a defendant in (BTK) again to determine the IMEI number of a another case whose statement before the mobile phone that was seized when Ünal was prosecutor was cited in the Akşam story, testify arrested. The phone was later returned to Ünal’s before the court. Ünal, who addressed the court lawyer but, according to the lawyer, was lost via the video conferencing system SEGBİS from when she moved her office. During the hearing, the Buca Kırıklar High Security Prison in İzmir, the presiding judge asked Ünal’s lawyer about objected to Veren’s credibility as a witness, the IMEI number, too, but the lawyer protested, saying Veren used to be part of the Gülen asking why the authorities did not get the movement for 30 years and he turned hostile number during the 16 months when they against him after he had refused to support him preserved the device as evidence. The trial’s as a witness in a lawsuit against Gülen. Ünal also fourth hearing (For more information about the responded to accusations against him, saying he fourth hearing click here) was held on 18 July

2018. Yeni Akit columnist Nurettin Veren Responding to the prosecutor’s final opinion, testified against Ünal during the hearing, after Ünal rejected the accusations and said the case which the prosecutor submitted her final file did not include even one evidence to prove opinion. In his testimony via SEGBİS, Veren the allegations. Ünal and his lawyer requested claimed that Ünal was among top level leaders additional time to prepare the final defense of “FETÖ” and served as an aide to Fethullah statement in response to the prosecutor’s final Gülen. Ünal addressed the court via SEGBİS from opinion. In its interim ruling at the end of the the Buca Prison during the hearing. Responding hearing, the court ruled for the continuation of to Veren’s testimony, Ünal said he rejected all Ünal’s detention and adjourned the trial until 5 allegations. He said Veren’s claims were baseless September 2018. The fifth hearing of the trial and false and added that he has never had secret was held on 5 September in Uşak. The meetings with Gülen nor taken any orders from prosecutor temporarily replacing the original him. Ünal also said he was not Gülen’s advisor. prosecutor in the case reiterated the charges in Noting that he spoke in nearly 1,000 the prosecutor’s final opinion submitted during conferences, all of which were public events, the previous hearing. Ünal then told the court Ünal said that he was standing trial because of that he was unable to prepare his final defense his thoughts and ideas. “I only wrote newspaper statement due to health issues and requested columns,” Ünal said. Two books written by Ünal for additional time. His lawyer told the court that were then submitted to the court as evidence Ali Ünal was referred to a hospital for suspected against him. Ünal’s lawyer Ayşe Süeda Ünal cancer symptoms. The lawyer also requested for addressed the court next. She said there was no additional time for the defense statement. The ban in place for the books in question. “My chief judge agreed to grant additional time for client’s right to a fair trial is being violated. His the defense, but said the panel would proceed name was not mentioned in the main FETÖ without hearing the final defense statement and indictment,” the lawyer also said. The lawyer announce its verdict in the event the defense is added that witnesses should be heard in the not ready by the next hearing, which is set for 14 courtroom and that failing to observe this rule November 2018. On 14 November, Ünal constituted a violation of the right to a fair trial. appeared before the 2nd High Criminal Court of The prosecutor then submitted her final opinion Uşak for the final hearing (For more information of the case, seeking aggravated life sentences for about the final hearing click here) of his trial on Ünal on the separate coup charges of “coup” and terrorism-related charges. Before “attempting to overthrow the constitutional the announcement of the verdict, Ünal made his order,” “attempting to overthrow the final defense statement. Addressing the court via parliament” and “attempting to overthrow the SEGBİS from the Izmir No. 2 F Type High Security government” and an additional prison term of up Prison, Ünal rejected the accusations. Explaining to 20 years under Article 39 of the Turkish Penal to the court that he has been a newspaper Code, which covers “assisting a crime.” The columnist for 26 years and that his columns prosecutor then merged aggravated life appeared in Zaman for 20 years, Ünal said he sentence charges under Article 309, as it wrote and translated dozens of books in Turkish encompasses other offences. Ünal was originally and English. Asserting that his name did not charged with participating in the coup attempt appear in any other court cases targeting the of July 2016 as well as “leading a terrorist Gülen movement, Ünal said he had not assumed organization” in the indictment. The prosecutor any duties within the movement. Ünal told the also requested that Ünal be remanded in prison. court that none of the witnesses who testified in

29 his case could point to any substantial evidence HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A to support the charge of “establishing and SOURCES: leading an armed terrorist organization.” After Ünal and his lawyer completed their final For more information in English: defense statements, the prosecutor requested Ünal’s conviction on the charges of “attempting http://platform24.org/en/articles/702/former- to overthrow the constitutional order,” zaman-columnist-ali-unal-given-19-year-prison- “establishing and leading an armed terrorist sentence organization” and “membership in an armed http://bianet.org/english/human- terrorist organization.” Announcing its verdict rights/177852-former-zaman-daily-columnist- following a brief recess, the panel of judges ali-unal-arrested acquitted Ünal of “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order,” but convicted him of For more information in Turkish: “establishing and leading an armed terrorist http://www.diken.com.tr/zamanin-eski- organization” and sentenced the columnist to 19 basyazari-ali-unala-fetoden-19-bucuk-yil-hapis/ years and 6 months in prison. Ünal is still behind bars in the Izmir No. 2 F Type High Security https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- Prison. gazetesi-basyazari-ali-unala-silahli-teror-orgutu- kurmak-ve-yonetmek-sucundan-19-yil-6-ay- PRISON SENTENCE: 19 years and 6 months hapis-cezasi-verildi/

LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/1 http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/177844- CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested eski-zaman-yazari-ali-unal-tutuklandi

CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Izmir No. 2 F http://platform24.org/guncel/3440/zaman- Type High Security Prison yazari-ali-unal-19-yil-hapis-cezasina-carptirildi

CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

ALİ YÜCE

DATE of BIRTH: N/A "Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ)" in state institutions and organizations. GENDER: Male Eight TRT employees behind bars PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: TRT Radio Broadcast Chief According to the quarterly Media Monitoring Reports by bianet, as of April 1, 2017, there are DATE of ARREST: 19 August 2016 eight TRT employees among journalists taken DETAILS of ARREST: into custody under the State of Emergency declared on July 20 and put behind bars. Since Source 1: International Press Institute July 20, 63 journalists and media representatives Ali Yüce, a broadcasting supervisor for state- working in national and local media outlets close owned Turkish Radio and Television Network to the Gülen Community were put behind bars. (TRT), was ordered arrested on Aug. 19, 2016 as The names of the eight former TRT employees part of the government’s investigation following are as follows: Ahmet Yavaş (TRT radio Erzurum the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. correspondent), Ali Yüce (TRT radio broadcasting manager), Ersin Şanlı (TRT domestic news DETAILS of TRIAL: manager), Hakan Aksel (TRT News and Sports Source 1: Bianet, 12 July 2017 Department Coordinator Assistent and Producer), Halil İbrahim Mert (TRT TV Erzurum 34 Detention Order for 34 Former TRT Staff cameraperson), Nuri Durna (TRT Erzurum correspondent), Yalçın Güler (TRT Erzurum Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has correnspondent), Seyid Kılıç (TRT ordered detention for 34 former employers of correspondent). TRT claimed to be users of ByLock, an encrypted communication software allegedly used among PRISON SENTENCE: N/A members of the Gülen Community. Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has ordered detention LEGISLATION USED: N/A for 34 former employers of Turkish Radio and CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Television Corporation (TRT) claimed to be users of ByLock, an encrypted communication CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Ankara Sincan L software allegedly used among members of the Type Prison

Gülen Community. According to the report of the CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A state-run Anadolu Agency, Ankara Chief Public HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

Prosecutor' Office has ordered the detention as SOURCES: a part of the investigation into members of For more information in Turkish:

https://bianet.org/bianet/insan- haklari/188217-34-eski-trt-calisani-hakkinda- gozalti-karari#

AYŞENUR PARILDAK

DATE of BIRTH: N/A 27-year-old Ayşenur Parıldak, a former court reporter for the shuttered Zaman and a student GENDER: Female of law at the Ankara University, was arrested on PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor for zaman the campus of her school on August 3, 2016 and newspaper imprisoned pending trial on August 11 on charges of “being a member of FETÖ terrorist rd DATE of ARREST: Taken into custody on the 3 organization.”Parıldak faces a prison term of 7.5 st of August, 2016, arrested on the 21 of to 15 years on the formal charges of terrorist November, 2017 group membership. She appeared before a court DETAILS of ARREST: in February for first hearing six months after her imprisonment. On May 1, Ankara 14th High Source 1: International Press Institute Criminal Court ordered her release pending trial Ayşenur Parıldak, an editor for the now-closed on judicial control and subject to a travel ban but Zaman newspaper, was detained on Aug. 3, she was rearrested hours later upon objection to 2016. She is suspected of being a follower of her release by the prosecutor who cited new U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s evidence regarding her alleged use of ByLock, an government blames for the July 15, 2016 coup encrypted messaging application which attempt. Parıldak was ordered arrested on authorities say is used exclusively by members of charges of “being a member of a terrorist the Gülenist network and proof of “FETÖ organisation” on Aug. 11, 2016. membership.” Parıldak was convicted and sentenced to seven years and six months in jail DETAILS of TRIAL: for “membership in an armed terrorist organization” at the end of the hearing on Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) November 21, 2017. In her final defense At an Oct. 10, 2017 hearing, an Ankara court statement to the court, Parıldak rejected the declined to order Parıldak’s release from pre- accusation that she had used ByLock. She also trial detention, citing new evidence in the case. denied that her social media posts cited by the Parıldak - who is accused of being a user of prosecution constituted a crime and requested “Bylock”, a secretive, encrypted- her acquittal.The court originally sentenced communications application said to have been Parıldak to nine years in jail but then reduced the used by Gülen’s followers - convicted to 7 years sentence to seven years and six months, taking 6 months imprisonment. into consideration her “good conduct” during the trial. The court also ruled that Parıldak Source 2: Expression Interrupted remain in prison while the verdict is appealed. Parıldak is currently behind bars in Ankara Women’s Prison.

PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months

LEGISLATION USED: N/A

CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Ankara http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ Women’s Prison 610115/_Darp_edildim__tacize_ugradim_.html

CONDITIONS of DETENTION: http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ 870803/Kapatilan_Zaman_gazetesinin_muhabir Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) i_Aysenur_Parildak_a_7_yil_6_ay_hapis_cezasi. In a letter sent from prison in October 2016, html Parıldak alleged that she had been subjected to http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ sexual violence in prison and placed in solitary 735299/Tahliye_edildigi_gun_yeniden_tutuklan confinement. an_gazeteci_Parildak_in_avukati__Tahliye_fiile HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A n_engellendi.html

SOURCES: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/aysenur- parildak-paril-kod-adiyla-bylock-kullanicisi- For more information in English: cikti/961044 https://cpj.org/data/people/aysenur- https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/fetocu- parildak/index.php aysenur-parildaka-hapis-cezasi-/973339

For more information in Turkish: https://tr.euronews.com/2019/07/26/cezaevin https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- den-mektuplar-yazi-dizisi-5-gazeteci-aysenur- gazetesi-adliye-muhabiri-aysenur-parildaka- parildak-zaman-ohal-khk-15-temmuz feto-uyeliginden-8-yil-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/fetonun- https://bianet.org/bianet/medya/177720- kritik-isimlerine-ceza-yagdi-41271754 zaman-gazetesi-nin-eski-muhabiri-aysenur- parildak-tutuklandi

AYTEKİN GEZİCİ

DATE of BIRTH: 10 October 1974 13 individuals that also included Gezici. The indictment accused all 13 suspects of GENDER: Male “membership in the Fethullahist Terrorist PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Local Organization,” seeking up to 15 years journalist/writer imprisonment for each. The 11th High Criminal Court of Adana accepted the indictment and the DATE of ARREST: Taken under custody on the 23 trial got underway on March 10, 2017. During July, 2016. Arrested on the 25 July, 2016 the second hearing of the case on April 7, 2017, DETAILS of ARREST: Gezici addressed the court from the Hatay Prison via the videoconferencing system SEGBİS. Gezici Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) rejected the accusations. During the third Aytekin Gezici, a local journalist/writer, was hearing of the trial on June 9, 2017, Gezici again ordered arrested on July 25, 2016 as part of the addressed the court via SEGBİS. Gezici told the ongoing investigation into the failed July 15, court that he was being accused based on false 2016 coup attempt. Gezici is being held in the testimony by a witness. Gezici said the witness Adana-Kürkçüler E-type prison. was a member of a terrorist group. He also requested for his release. The court ruled for the DETAILS of TRIAL: continuation of Gezici’s detention and adjourned the trial until July 12, 2017. The prosecutor Source 1: Expression Interrupted submitted his final opinion of the case during Aytekin Gezici, who worked as a reporter for that hearing, requesting that seven of the numerous local and nationwide media outlets defendants — Aytekin Gezici, Abdullah Özyurt, throughout his journalism career, including the Yüksel Evsen, Rıfat Söylemez, Abdurrahim now closed down Zaman daily, was arrested in Haklıkul, Mustafa Naim Yalçınel and Osman the southern Adana province on July 23, 2016. Palamut — are convicted of “terrorist group Gezici was arrested along with six other membership” and the remaining four, Hakan journalists as part of an investigation in the Bülent Yardımcı, Taner Talaş, Ali Bekmezci ve aftermath of the July 15 coup attempt. Gezici Salim Büyükkaya, are acquitted. The court ruled was jailed pending trial two days later, on July for the continuation of detention of Gezici and 25, 2016. A total of 11 people in Adana, among Özyurt and adjourned the case until September. them owners of several local TV stations and Gezici addressed the court once again via the newspapers, were detained as part of the same videoconferencing system SEGBİS during the investigation. Among them, Gezici and one other fifth hearing of the case in September, telling the journalist were jailed while the remaining nine panel that he had been in detention for 14 were released pending trial under various months and asked for his release and his judicial control measures. At the end of the acquittal. The trial was adjourned further when investigation, an indictment was issued against the new prosecutor appointed to the case requested for additional time to prepare his final

opinion of the case. The court ordered the case file to be sent to the newly appointed prosecutor and adjourned the trial. The court also ruled for

Özyurt to be released pending the conclusion of CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested the trial, placing him under house arrest. The CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Hatay Prison new prosecutor submitted his final opinion of the case during the next hearing of the case in CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A October 2017, requesting between nine and 15 years of imprisonment for the defendants. HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Giving his defense statement before the court SOURCES: during that hearing, Gezici said the trial was based on false accusations by a witness. Other For more information in Turkish: defendants also rejected the accusations. The https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/aytekin- court ruled for the continuation of Gezici’s gezici/ detention and adjourned the trial for final defense statements to be prepared. At the final https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- hearing of the case, held on February 16, 2018, aytekin-geziciye-feto-uyeliginden-9-yil-hapis- the 11th High Criminal Court of Adana convicted cezasi-verildi/ four defendants including Gezici of http://platform24.org/medya- “membership in a terrorist organization” and izleme/2829/olaganustu-h-l-de-gazeteciler--- handed down prison sentences between 7.5 and 138 9 years. Gezici was sentenced to 9 years in prison. Gezici has been in the Hatay Prison as https://t24.com.tr/haber/turkiye-icin-ortacag- part of this case for almost two years. According paketi-kapida,274257 to his relatives, Gezici has been in a single-person http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/adanada-13- cell since February. gazeteciye-feto-davasi-40285006 PRISON SENTENCE: 9 years http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/adanada-feto- LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 sanigi-gazetecilerden-1i-tahliye-40580229

AZİZ İSTEGÜN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A

GENDER: Male

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Zaman, DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A Diyarbakır Regional Bureau Chief PRISON SENTENCE: 7,5 years DATE of ARREST: 1 August 2016 LEGISLATION USED: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Source 1: International Press Institute CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A He was arrested as part of the ongoing CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A investigation into the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

BAYRAM KAYA

Aydın, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, Muhterem Tanık and Said Sefa, the latter of whom DATE of BIRTH: 11 November 1982 reportedly had fled the country. On March 31, GENDER: Male 2017 a court in Turkey ordered 21 of the imprisoned defendants released conditionally, PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for but prosecutors successfully objected to the Yeni Hayat newspaper and a former reporter for release of eight of them and the release order for the shuttered daily Zaman the other 13 was blocked hours later. The DATE of ARREST: 29 July 2016 defendants – with the exception of Akkuş, who was freed after having been imprisoned since DETAILS of ARREST: July 30, 2016 – remained behind bars and the Source 1: International Press Institute judges who made the order were suspended. Prosecutors later brought new charges against Bayram Kaya, a reporter for Yeni Hayat 13 of the journalists on charges of trying to newspaper and a former reporter for the overthrow the government and the shuttered daily Zaman, was ordered arrested on constitutional order. Those facing the new July 30, 2016 as part of the purge of journalists charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, allegedly linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız. having established a “parallel state structure” and who it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 Source 2: Expression Interrupted coup attempt. Kaya is one of 29 journalists Bayram Kaya, a former reporter for Zaman and charged in a case accusing them of having been the short-lived Yeni Hayat daily, was arrested by part of the Gülen movement’s “media wing”. the police days after the failed coup attempt of They face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. 15 July 2016 as part of an operation targeting DETAILS of TRIAL: journalists working for media outlets affiliated with the banned movement led by Fethullah Source 1: International Press Institute Gülen, billed by the government as “Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ)”. The indictment As of May 2, 2017, other journalists imprisoned seeks up to 15 years in jail for Kaya on the charge in connection with the case include Abdullah of “membership in FETÖ terrorist organization.” Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, Atilla Taş, Bünyamin Köseli, The prosecutor accuses Kaya of “attempting to Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, legitimize the crimes committed by the Emre Soncan, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habib [terrorist] organization, garner public support for Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, Hanım Büşra Erdal, conspiracy cases conducted by the organization, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan, delegitimize the fight against the organization Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, and manipulate the public opinion to support Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin the coup attempt to be conducted by the Yıldız. Six other journalists face charges in the organization” through three books he authored case, including Ali Akkuş, Bülent Ceyhan, Davut and Twitter posts. Kaya is one of the 29 defendants cited in the indictment. His co-

37 defendants include journalists from a wide range process. In October, the appeals against prison of media outlets including the shuttered Zaman sentences given to 25 defendants in the case newspaper, Cihan news agency, Aksiyon weekly, were rejected by an appellate court. The 2nd Meydan newspaper, Habertürk TV and the state Criminal Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Court broadcaster TRT. The full text of the indictment of Justice rendered its decision on 22 October. (in Turkish) can be accessed here. The court made the ruling without a public hearing despite defense lawyers’ requests for a Following the first hearing of the trial held on 31 hearing. The appellate court also ruled for the March 2017, the Istanbul 25th High Criminal continuation of detention of all jailed defendants Court agreed to release Kaya pending trial but he in the case. Convictions against the journalists was summarily rearrested upon the prosecutor’s are now expected to be taken to the Supreme objection to his release. The judges who ordered Court of Appeals. the release of Kaya and 20 other co-defendants were swiftly suspended from their job and PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years and 3 months reassigned to other courts outside Istanbul. Six LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 defendants, Atilla Taş, Murat Aksoy, Ali Akkuş, Davut Aydın, Bünyamin Köseli and Cihan Acar, CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested were subsequently released in the later stages of the trial, while Kaya and others were ordered to CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Kaya is remain behind bars. At the court hearing on 6 currently jailed in Istanbul’s Silivri Prison. February 2018, the prosecutor submitted his CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A final opinion of the case, demanding up to 15 years in jail for all but three defendants — Murat HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Aksoy, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu and Muhterem SOURCES: Tanık — for “FETÖ membership.” Kaya was charged on the basis of his tweets, the fact that For more information in English: he had worked for Zaman and Yeni Hayat dailies, http://bianet.org/english/media/195007- Bank Asya bank account transactions, and for sentence-passed-in-feto-media-organization-in- allegedly downloading the encrypted messaging which-28-journalists-tried application ByLock, which the authorities say was used exclusively by members of the Gülen For more information in Turkish: movement. During the court hearing on 22-23 https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/bayram- February 2018, Kaya presented his final defense kaya-2/ to the court, responding to the accusations against him. He denied having downloaded the https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- ByLock application, saying a technical expert bayram-kayaya-orgut-uyeliginden-6-yil-3-ay- opinion he presented to the court refutes the hapis-cezasi-verildi/ claim. The court announced its verdict in the http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/194548- case at the end of the final hearing held on 7-8 March 2018. Kaya, along with 10 other co- 28-gazetecinin-yargilandigi-feto-medya- yapilanmasi-davasinda-karar-aciklandi defendants, was sentenced on the charge of “membership in an armed organization” to 6 https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/15-temmuz-darbe- years and 3 months in prison. The court ruled for girisimi/fetonun-darbe-girisimi- the continuation of detention of the imprisoned sorusturmasinda-42-gazeteci-hakkinda- defendants in the case pending the appeal yakalama-karari/614944

BEYTULLAH ÖZDEMİR

DATE of BIRTH: N/A CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

GENDER: Male CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Zaman Düzce CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A bureau chief HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A DATE of ARREST: N/A SOURCES: DETAILS of ARREST: For more information in Turkish: Source 1: International Press Institute https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- Beytullah Özdemir, the Düzce representative for gazetesi-duzce-buro-muduru-ahmer-ozdemirin- the now-shuttered newspaper Zaman, was dosyasi-zaman-gazetesi-ve-cihan-haber-ajansi- ordered arrested on Oct. 27, 2016 as part of the duzce-temsilcisi-beytullah-ozdemirin- ongoing investigation into the failed July 15, dosyasindan-ayrildi/ 2016 coup attempt. https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A gazetesi-ve-cihan-haber-ajansi-duzce-temsilcisi- beytullah-ozdemire-orgut-uyeliginden-7-yil-6- PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years 6 months ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2

BURÇİN DOKGÖZ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A

GENDER: Female PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

WIKIPEDIA ENTRY: No LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former Çorum CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested reporter for Zaman and Cihan News Agency CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A DATE of ARREST: 21 August 2016 CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Source 1: International Press Institute SOURCES: Burçin Dokgöz, a reporter for the now-closed For more information in English: Zaman newspaper and for Cihan News Agency in the northern Anatolian city of Çorum, was Some related information can be found here: ordered arrested on Aug. 21, 2016 as part of a https://expressioninterrupted.com/lokman- purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.- erdogan/ based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of having established a For more information in Turkish: “parallel state structure” and who it blames for https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. The case gazetesi-corum-muhabiri-burcin-dokgoz-feto- also reportedly targets five other journalists: davasindan-tutuklu-yargilaniyor/ Lokman Erdoğan, Nadir Yücel, İdris Okur, Musa Ayan and Murat Öztürk.

CEMAL AZMİ KALYONCU

DATE of BIRTH: N/A

GENDER: Male Said Sefa, the latter of whom reportedly had fled the country. On March 31, 2017 a court in Turkey PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Columnist and ordered 21 of the imprisoned defendants op-ed contributor with the Journalists and released conditionally, but prosecutors Writers Foundation successfully objected to the release of eight of DATE of ARREST: 30 July, 2016 them and the release order for the other 13 was blocked hours later. The defendants – with the DETAILS of ARREST: exception of Akkuş, who was freed after having Source 1: International Press Institution (IPI) been imprisoned since July 30, 2016 – remained behind bars and the judges who made the order Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, a columnist and op-ed were suspended. Prosecutors later brought new contributor with the Journalists and Writers charges against 13 of the journalists on charges Foundation, was ordered arrested on July 30, of trying to overthrow the government and the 2016 as part of a purge of journalists allegedly constitutional order. Those facing the new linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Turkey’s government accuses of having Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah established a “parallel state structure” and who Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız. it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Kalyoncu is one of 29 journalists Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) charged in a case accusing them of having been Police in Istanbul detained Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, part of the Gülen movement’s “media wing”. an author and former columnist for the They face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. magazine Aksiyon, on July 26, 2016, as part of a DETAILS of TRIAL: sweeping purge of journalists and others suspected of following exiled preacher Fethullah Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Gülen, according to press reports. The As of May 2, 2017, other journalists imprisoned government accuses Gülen of maintaining a in connection with the case include Abdullah terrorist organization and "parallel state Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, Atilla Taş, Bayram Kaya, structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the government Bünyamin Köseli, Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Emre calls it) within Turkey that it blames for Soncan, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habib Güler, Halil orchestrating a failed military coup on July 15, İbrahim Balta, Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, 2016. Istanbul's Fifth Court of Penal Peace on Murat Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Mutlu June 30, 2016, arraigned Kalyoncu and 16 other Çölgeçen, Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Ufuk Şanlı, journalists, ordering them jailed pending trial on Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız. Six charges of "being members of an armed terrorist other journalists face charges in the case, organization," according to the media including Ali Akkuş, Bülent Ceyhan, Davut Aydın, monitoring group P24. The daily newspaper Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, Muhterem Tanık and Hürriyet reported that the 17 journalists were questioned by prosecutors on accusations of

"being members of an armed terrorist reports. Prosecutors successfully appealed the organization," "founding or leading an armed decision, and authorities ordered an terrorist organization," "knowingly and willingly investigation into the judges who had ordered helping [a terrorist] organization without being the release and they were relieved of duty, involved in the organization's hierarchical according to the reports. An Istanbul court on structure," and "committing crimes in the name March 8, 2018, found Kalyoncu and at least 21 of of a [terrorist] organization without being a the other journalists on trial guilty of "being a member." A court in March 2016 ordered member of a [terrorist] organization,” and Aksiyon's parent company, the Feza Media sentenced Kalyoncu to six years and three Group, put under the trusteeship of figures months in prison, according to reports. The court selected by the government, saying the company acquitted all the defendants of the more serious and the newspaper had ties to the Gülenist coup-related charges in the second indictment. network. On July 27, 2016, the government used At least 18 of the journalists were sent to prison emergency powers it assumed after the July for varying prison terms. Two of them-- Atilla Taş 2016 failed coup attempt to close the magazine, and Murat Aksoy—were sentenced and released saying it was a FETÖ/PDY mouthpiece. CPJ for time served, and the journalists Bünyamin research shows that authorities have targeted Köseli and Cihan Acar remain free pending the dozens of former journalists from media outlets appeal, according to reports. Lawyers for the owned by the Feza Media Group with arrest and journalists told CPJ they are appealing the prosecution on terrorism charges since the failed verdict. As of late 2018, the local appeal process July 2016 coup attempt. In the original was ongoing. In response to a June 2018 poll of indictment, all but one of the 17 co-accused in jailed journalists carried out by the P24 Kalyoncu’s case were charged with “being a Independent Journalism Association, Kalyoncu member of an armed [terrorist] organization,” said that he has vertigo and a heart condition, which carries up to 10 years in prison, according and prison authorities were providing him with to reports. The indictment accused the access to doctors and medication. defendants of manipulating public perception of PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years and 3 months FETÖ to turn people against the government, which, prosecutors argued, made them LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 members of the group. CPJ found the indictment to be similar to those presented at trials of other CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested journalists in Turkey. Prosecutors cited as CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, evidence journalistic activity or acts of free Istanbul speech and communication, or cited circumstantial evidence such as being employed CONDITIONS of DETENTION: by a certain media outlet or having an account at Information on his conditions of detention and a bank allegedly linked to Gülenists. In health concerns can be found in a questionnaire Kalyoncu’s case, prosecutors cited as evidence by Platform 24 (P24). his employment by Zaman and Aksiyon, and his social media activity as evidence of membership The Turkish version of the questionnaire is of the group. When the trial started in March available here. 2017, an Istanbul court ordered Kalyoncu and HEALTH CONCERNS: See questionnaire above. several of the other journalists to be released while the case was heard, according to news SOURCES:

For more information in English: http://bianet.org/english/media/195007- https://bianet.org/bianet/insan- sentence-passed-in-feto-media-organization-in- haklari/194548-28-gazetecinin-yargilandigi- which-28-journalists-tried feto-medya-yapilanmasi-davasinda-karar- aciklandi http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/english/ 711743/Journalists_released_in_the_evening_a http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/fetonun-medya- nd_arrested_at_night_.html yapilanmasi-davasi-3-40408935

For more information in Turkish: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/istinaf- fetonun-medya-yapilanmasi-davasinda-cezalari- https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- onadi/1291769 cemal-azmi-kalyoncuya-orgut-uyeliginden-6-yil- 3-ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/

CUMA ULUS

DATE of BIRTH: N/A member." The daily newspaper Millet was one of several media outlets owned by the Koza İpek GENDER: Male Group, which the government took over in PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former October 2015, alleging it had links to FETÖ/PDY. publication coordinator for daily Millet Trustees appointed by the government hollowed Newspapaer out media outlets the company owned and shut them down in March 2016, saying they were not DATE of ARREST: Detained on 26 June, 2016 financially viable. The government-appointed DETAILS of ARREST: management fired Ulus from Millet immediately after taking control of the newspaper, according Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) to media reports. In the original indictment, all Police in Istanbul detained Cuma Ulus, a former but one of the 17 co-accused in Ulus’s case were news editor for the shuttered daily newspaper charged with “being a member of an armed Millet, on July 26, 2016, as part of a sweeping [terrorist] organization,” which carries up to 10 purge of journalists and others suspected of years in prison, according to reports. The following exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, indictment accused the defendants of according to press reports. manipulating public perception of FETÖ to turn people against the government, which, DETAILS of TRIAL: prosecutors argued, made them members of the group. CPJ found the indictment to be similar to Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) those presented at trials of other journalists in The government accuses Gülen of maintaining a Turkey. Prosecutors cited as evidence terrorist organization and "parallel state journalistic activity or acts of free speech and structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the government communication, or cited circumstantial evidence calls it) within Turkey that it blames for such as being employed by a certain media orchestrating a failed military coup on July 15, outlet or having an account at a bank allegedly 2016. Istanbul's Fifth Court of Penal Peace on linked to Gülenists.In Ulus’s case, prosecutors June 30, 2016, arraigned Ulus and 16 other cited as evidence his employment by Millet, a journalists, ordering them jailed pending trial on statement that he made to a news agency, his charges of "being members of an armed terrorist social media activity, his account at Bank Asya, organization," according to the media which authorities claim is a Gülenist bank, and monitoring group P24. The daily newspaper his attendance at an alleged Gülenist college. Hürriyet reported that the 17 journalists were When the trial started in March 2017, an Istanbul questioned by prosecutors on accusations of court ordered Ulus and several of the other "being members of an armed terrorist journalists to be released while the case was organization," "founding or leading an armed heard, according to news reports. Prosecutors terrorist organization," "knowingly and willingly successfully appealed the decision, and helping [a terrorist] organization without being authorities ordered an investigation into the involved in the organization's hierarchical judges who had ordered the release and they structure," and "committing crimes in the name were relieved of duty, according to the reports. of a [terrorist] organization without being a An Istanbul court on March 8, 2018 found Ulus

44 and at least 21 of the other journalists on trial About the second hearing: guilty of "being a member of a [terrorist] https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- organization,” and sentenced Ulus to seven appear-before-court-for-second-hearing-in- years and six months in prison, according to terrorism-case/ reports. The court acquitted all the defendants For details about the trial: of the more serious coup-related charges in the second indictment. At least 18 of the journalists https://bianet.org/english/media/189157-trial- were sent to prison for varying prison terms. Two of-13-writers-and-journalists-on-charges-of- of them--Atilla Taş and Murat Aksoy—were attempting-a-coup-begins-today sentenced and released for time served, and the journalists Bünyamin Köseli and Cihan Acar For more information in Turkish: remain free pending the appeal, according to https://bianet.org/bianet/insan- reports. Lawyers for the journalists told CPJ they haklari/189144-13-yazar-ve-gazetecinin- are appealing the verdict. As of late 2018, the yargilandigi-darbe-girisimi-davasi-basliyor local appeal process was ongoing. Ulus was being detained in Silivri prison. https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- cuma-ulusa-orgut-uyeliginden-7-yil-6-ay-hapis- PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months cezasi-verildi/

LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested 399981/Kayyum_kiyima_devam_ediyor..._Yazi_ isleri_mudurunun_odasini_polis_basti.html CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, İstnabul http://platform24.org/guncel/2095/olaganustu- h-l-de-gazeteciler---ozel CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A For more information in Kurdish: HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A http://bianet.org/kurdi/hiquq/189146-doza- SOURCES: hewldana-derbeye-destpe-dike-ku-13-niviskar- u-rojnameger-ten-dadgehkirin For more information in English:

CÜNEYT SEZA ÖZKAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Bylock app, according to press reports. Authorities allege that use of the encrypted GENDER: Male messaging app is proof of FETÖ/PDY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor for membership. Turkey issued arrest warrants for Samanyolu TV. 35 journalists and media workers. Of those, nine were ordered to be jailed pending trial and as of DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on 16 late 2017, two were released under house August, 2017 arrest, according to news reports. As of late DETAILS of ARREST: 2017, no court date had been scheduled. In late 2018, CPJ was unable to find details of a lawyer Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) who could provide further information on the Cüneyt Seza Özkan, a former news editor at now- case, or to review a copy of the indictment. shuttered Samanyolu TV, was ordered arrested Source 2: Bianet - 17 August 2017 on Aug. 16, 2017 on accusations of links to U.S.- based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s 9 Journalists Arrested in ByLock Investigation government accuses of having established a 9 of the 11 journalists taken into custody on “parallel state structure” and who it blames for claims that they had been using ByLock, an the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Özkan was encrypted communication software allegedly detained for allegedly having used mobile phone used among members of Gülen community, encryption application Bylock, which Turkish have been arrested. 11 journalists were taken prosecutors consider to be evidence of into custody on August 10 as a part of an membership in the Gülen movement. investigation launched by the İstanbul Chief DETAILS of TRIAL: Prosecutor's Office. The journalists were referred to the İstanbul 13th Criminal Judgeship Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) of Peace yesterday (August 17) for arrest. 9 of Istanbul police on August 10, 2017, detained the journalists have been arrested and Cüneyt Seza Özkan, former news editor at the imprisoned. They are: Yasir Kaya (former shuttered Samanyolu TV, according to news Fenerbahçe TV News Director), Ömer Faruk reports. Özkan was one of 35 journalists and Aydemir (former Chief of Information of İhlas media workers whose arrest a Turkish court News Agency News), Mutlu Özay, Cüneyt Seza mandated the week before as part of a sweeping Özkan (editorial directors of now-closed purge of suspected followers of exiled preacher Samanyolu News), Burak Ekici (BirGün internet Fethullah Gülen, according to reports. The editor), Mehmet Ali Ay, Muhsin Pilgir Turkish government accuses Gülen of (correspondents of now-closed Zaman maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel newspaper and Cihan News Agency), Sait Gürkan state structure" (FETÖ/PDY, as the government Tuzlu (correspondent of now-closed Cihan News calls it) within Turkey and alleges that it Agency) and Ahmet Feyzullah Özyurt. According masterminded a failed July 2016 military coup. to the court decision, "the suspects were Özkan’s arrest is part of an investigation into identified to have used the secret and encrypted journalists and others who allegedly used the communication software ByLock used among

46 members of the armed Fethullahist Terrorist For more information in Turkish: Organization". Vatan Newspaper page designer https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/samanyolu- Yusuf Duran and former columnist in Türkiye haber-tv-yayin-yonetmeni-cuneyt-seza-ozkan- Newspaper Ahmet Sağırlı, who were also among bylock-kullandigi-iddiasiyla-feto-uyeliginden- the detained journalists, have been released on yargilaniyor/ probation. Duran and Sağırlı will be under house arrest during the trial. https://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- ozgurlugu/189185-9-gazeteci-bylock- PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months sorusturmasi-kapsaminda-tutuklandi LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 https://bianet.org/bianet/insan- CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested haklari/188997-35-gazeteciye-bylock-gozaltisi- karari CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A http://platform24.org/guncel/2349/olaganustu- CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A h-l-de-gazeteciler---97 HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A For more information in Kurdish: SOURCES: http://bianet.org/kurdi/medya/189187-di- For more information in English: carcoveya-lepirsina-bylocke-de-9-rojnameger- hatin-girtin https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- in-state-of-emergency-83/

EMRE SONCAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Kılıç, Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız. Six other journalists face charges in GENDER: Male the case, including Ali Akkuş, Bülent Ceyhan, PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Military affairs Davut Aydın, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, correspondent for the Zaman newspaper Muhterem Tanık and Said Sefa, the latter of whom reportedly had fled the country. On DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on March 31, 2017 a court in Turkey ordered 21 of July 30, 2016 the imprisoned defendants released DETAILS of ARREST: conditionally, but prosecutors successfully objected to the release of eight of them and the Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) release order for the other 13 was blocked hours Emre Soncan, military affairs correspondent for later. The defendants – with the exception of the now-closed Zaman newspaper, was ordered Akkuş, who was freed after having been arrested on July 30, 2016 as part of a purge of imprisoned since July 30, 2016 – remained journalists allegedly linked to U.S.-based cleric behind bars and the judges who made the order Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government were suspended. Prosecutors later brought new accuses of having established a “parallel state charges against 13 of the journalists on charges structure” and who it blames for the failed July of trying to overthrow the government and the 15, 2016 coup attempt. constitutional order. Those facing the new charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, DETAILS of TRIAL: Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız. Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Soncan is one of 29 journalists charged in a case accusing them of having been part of the Gülen On July 24, 2016, Emre Soncan, a former military movement’s “media wing”. On April 10, 2018, affairs correspondent for the shuttered daily Soncan was sentenced to 7,5 years on terror newspaper Zaman, wrote on Twitter that that he charges. He has been jailed in Silivri Prison, had learned that police were at his house, and Istanbul for almost years. Last hearing was held that he was going to turn himself in, amid a at the İstanbul 25th High Criminal Court. The sweeping purge of journalists and others court first gave a nine-year sentence to Soncan suspected of following exiled preacher Fethullah on charges of "membership of a terrorist Gülen. The government accuses Gülen of organization", then reduced it to seven-and-a- maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel half years. As of May 2, 2017, other journalists state structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the imprisoned in connection with the case include government calls it) within Turkey that it blames Abdullah Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, Atilla Taş, Bayram for orchestrating a failed military coup on July Kaya, Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, 15, 2016. Istanbul's Fifth Court of Penal Peace on Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, June 30, 2016, arraigned Soncan and 16 other Habib Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, Hanım Büşra journalists, ordering them jailed pending trial on Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat Aksoy, Mustafa charges of "being members of an armed terrorist Erkan Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, Oğuz Usluer, Seyid organization," according to the media

48 monitoring group P24. The daily newspaper alleged to be a Gülenist institution. When the Hürriyet reported that the 17 journalists were trial began in March 2017, an Istanbul court questioned by prosecutors on accusations of ordered Soncan and four of his co-accused to be "being members of an armed terrorist detained for the duration of the trial, according organization," "founding or leading an armed to news reports. An Istanbul court on April 10, terrorist organization," "knowingly and willingly 2018, found Soncan guilty of "being a member of helping [a terrorist] organization without being a [terrorist] organization," and sentenced him to involved in the organization's hierarchical seven years and six months in prison," reports structure," and "committing crimes in the name said.According to documents that Soncan’s of a [terrorist] organization without being a lawyers shared with CPJ, a local appeals court in member." In March 2016, a court ordered Istanbul rejected his appeal on July 3, 2018. The Zaman's parent company, the Feza Media lawyers later appealed to the national Supreme Group, put under government trustees, saying Court of Appeals. As of late 2018, Soncan was the company and the newspaper had ties to the held in Istanbul's Silivri Prison. Gülenist network. On July 27, 2016, the Source 3: Expression Interrupted government used emergency powers to close the publication. CPJ research shows that The court ruled at the end of Thursday’s hearing authorities have targeted dozens of former that imprisoned defendant Emre Soncan’s file is journalists from media outlets owned by the separated from this case to be merged with a Feza Media Group with arrest and prosecution newly initiated case against him. on terrorism charges since the failed coup attempt. All but one of the journalists with Source 4: Expression Interrupted whom Soncan is on trial were charged with Former Zaman reporter Emre Soncan handed “being a member of an armed [terrorist] down prison sentence organization,” which carries up to 10 years in prison, according to the indictment. CPJ found An Istanbul court on April 10 sentenced the indictment to be similar to those presented imprisoned journalist Emre Soncan, a former at trials of other journalists in Turkey. defense reporter for the shuttered Zaman daily, Prosecutors cited as evidence in these cases to 7.5 years in prison for “membership in a journalistic activity or acts of free speech and terrorist organization.”Soncan appeared at the communication, or cited circumstantial evidence final hearing of the case, overseen by the 25th such as being employed by a certain media High Criminal Court of Istanbul, via the outlet or having an account at a bank allegedly courtroom video-conferencing system SEGBİS. linked to Gulenists. The indictment accused the The trial was an offshoot of the case publicly defendants of manipulating the public known as the “FETÖ media trial,” in which perception of FETÖ to turn citizens against the Soncan and 28 others faced “membership in a government, which prosecutors argued made terrorist group” charges. Soncan’s case file was them members of the group that Turkey alleges separated from that case during its hearing on is behind the attempted coup. Prosecutors February 22-23 to be merged with another case presented as evidence against Soncan a book file against the journalist. The accusations in the that the journalist wrote on former President indictment were based on Soncan’s social media Abdullah Gül and interviews that he gave about posts and the journalist depositing cash into his the book; his social media activity; and his Bank Asya account during the period when FETÖ account at Bank Asya, which the government leader Fethullah Gülen instructed that members of his network deposit funds to Bank Asya.

Soncan denied all accusations and requested his His statement: http://www.tr724.com/tutuklu- acquittal. Announcing its verdict, the court gazeteci-emre-soncan-karsinizda-ozgur- initially convicted Soncan to nine years in prison gazeteciligin-onurunu- for “membership in an armed terrorist koruyorum/?utm_content=buffer17498&utm_ organization.” The court reduced the sentence medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm to 7 years and six months taking into account his _campaign=buffer “good conduct during the proceedings” and https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/khk-ile- ruled for the continuation of his imprisonment. kapatilan-zaman-gazetesi-savunma-muhabiri- PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 5 months emre-soncana-fetoye-uye-olmaktan-yedi-yil- alti-ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 http://bianet.org/bianet/hukuk/186343-12- CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested gazetecinin-tutukluluguna-itiraz-reddedildi- CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, yaman-akdeniz-yorumladi İstanbul http://platform24.org/guncel/2095/olaganustu- CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A h-l-de-gazeteciler---ozel

HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ 708711/29_gazeteci_hakim_onunde__Dunyani SOURCES: n_cehennemi_oldugunu_dusunmeye_baslamist For more information in English: im.html http://bianet.org/english/media/186357- https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/fetonun- objection-to-arrest-of-12-journalists- medya-yapilanmasi-davasinda-bir-saniga-daha- overruled?bia_source=rss ceza/1113972 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/detention- https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/15-temmuz-darbe- warrants-issued-for-42-journalists-over-failed- girisimi/fetonun-medya-yapilanmasi-davasinda- coup-attempt-102033 ikinci-durusma-basladi/781195 https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/184871- in-state-of-emergency-94/ 29-gazeteci-ve-yazarin-feto-uyeligi-iddiasiyla- yargilandigi-dava-basladi For more information in Turkish:

ERCAN GÜN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A government accuses Gülen of maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel state GENDER: Male structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the government PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: News editor for calls it) within Turkey that it blames for Fox TV orchestrating a failed military coup on July 15, 2016. Istanbul's Third Court of Penal Peace on DATE of ARREST: He was detained on July 29, August 2, 2016, ordered the journalist released 2016 and ordered jailed pending trial on Aug. 25, on probation, but police detained him before he 2016. left the courthouse, on suspicion that he had DETAILS of ARREST: broadcast a news report to tarnish the image of the military on the order of FETÖ/PDY, his Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) lawyer, Çağrı Çetin, told CPJ. The new allegations Ercan Gün, news editor for Fox TV, was ordered stemmed from his having broadcast footage on jailed pending trial on Aug. 25, 2016 on February 1, 2007, showing Ogün Samast, whom accusations of being a member of a terrorist a juvenile court in 2011 convicted of the January organisation and broadcasting a story in 2007 19, 2007 murder of Armenian-Turkish journalist that tarnished the image of the Turkish military. Hrant Dink, receiving a Turkish flag and Gün was originally detained on July 29, 2016 as congratulations on the murder from police part of a purge of journalists allegedly linked to officers less than a day after Dink's murder. The U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s footage aired on TGRT-TV, which Fox bought and government accuses of having established a renamed in 2007. The police officers in the “parallel state structure” and who it blames for footage were terrorism police, but were the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Although incorrectly identified as military police in the an Istanbul court ordered him released on broadcast. Istanbul's Second Court of Penal probation on Aug. 2, 2016, he was immediately Peace on August 25, 2016, ordered Gün jailed detained again on suspicion that he had pending trial on the accusation that he was a broadcast a news report on behalf of the member of a terrorist organization, and that he Gülenist movement that implied a link between aired the story on Samast at FETÖ/PDY's behest the military and the 2007 murder of Armenian- "to create the perception that the military is Turkish journalist Hrant Dink. related to the murder," according to court records of the hearing, which CPJ reviewed. DETAILS of TRIAL: Çetin told CPJ that police repeatedly asked Gün who gave him the footage, and that he said an Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) officer promised that Gün would be released if Police in Istanbul detained Ercan Gün, a news he implicated Ekrem Dumanlı, then the editor-in- editor for Turkish Fox TV, on July 29, 2016, as chief of the daily newspaper Zaman, which the part of a sweeping crackdown on journalists and government ordered closed using emergency others suspected of being followers of exiled powers it assumed after the failed July 2016 preacher Fethullah Gülen, according to his coup attempt. Gün previously worked at Zaman. lawyer and court documents reviewed by the Police produced call logs showing that he had Committee to Protect Journalists. The spoken with Dumanlı and other senior Zaman

51 staff by telephone shortly before the video aired, ordered some of the defendants released for the Çetin told CPJ. Gün said the calls to Dumanlı and duration of the trial, but Gün was remanded in others at Zaman were in pursuit of his severance custody, according to reports citing the Doğan package, his lawyer told CPJ. Çetin told CPJ in News Agency. As of late 2018, Gün is still on trial, 2016 that his client has suffered from sleeping according to press reports. A hearing was held on disorders and vision problems since being jailed September 28, 2018, and the next scheduled in July. An Istanbul court accepted a fourth court hearing was December 18, 2018, reports indictment on May 29, 2017, which named Gün said. The journalist’s lawyer did not respond to as one of several defendants, according to CPJ’s calls seeking more information in late 2018. Bianet. The indictment centers on state officials Gün was in Silivri Prison in Istanbul. who allegedly neglected to do their duty or PRISON SENTENCE: N/A conspired to allow Dink to be murdered. In the indictment, Gün is charged with “attempting LEGISLATION USED: N/A through violence or force to disrupt the order as foreseen by the Constitution of the Republic” CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested and “aiding and abetting a [terrorist] CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, organization,” Bianet reported. If convicted of Istanbul the first charge, he could face life in prison without parole. The indictment alleged that Gün CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A tried to defame the military and “manipulate HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A public perception” by publishing the photo of Dink’s murderer, according to Bianet. The court SOURCES: had rejected three earlier indictments from the For more information in Turkish: prosecution for the retrial of the Dink murder case, according to press reports, At a court https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/hrant-dink- hearing on October 3, 2017, Gün said that the cinayeti-davasi/ photograph was a still from a video sent to the https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust newsroom by mail, according to reports. Gün u-halde-gazeteciler-6/ said that when the newspaper realized it had made a mistake in the photo’s caption, it https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust corrected the caption and did not repeat the u-halde-gazeteciler-16/ mistake. Gün asked the court how he could have manipulated public perception with one http://www.platform24.org/medya- izleme/1656/olaganustu-hal-de-gazeteciler---4 editorial mistake. On October 6, 2017, the court

ERDAL SÜSEM

DATE of BIRTH: N/A interviews. Süsem made similar statements in a letter to the Justice Ministry that was cited in GENDER: Male news accounts. Süsem started the magazine, PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor and which featured poetry, literature, and opinion founder of leftist art and literature magazine pieces from imprisoned socialist intellectuals, Eylül during an earlier imprisonment at Tekirdağ F Type Prison. After producing the initial four DATE of ARREST: 2010 editions on a photocopier from prison, Süsem DETAILS of ARREST: transformed the journal into a print publication after his 2007 release and circulated 16 more Source 1: International Press Institution (IPI) issues. In September 2017, the journalist’s Erdal Süsem, editor and founder of leftist art and lawyer, Fazıl Ahmet Tamer, told CPJ that a court literature magazine Eylül, was arrested in 2010 in May 2010 found Süsem guilty of being a leader on charges of being a leader of and of the banned group, and sentenced him to life propagandising for the outlawed Marxist- in prison. According to Tamer, prosecutors said Leninist Communist Party (MLKP). In 2011, he that the magazine being produced by prisoners was also convicted of gun theft and murder on was evidence of Süsem’s ties to an illegal earlier accusations that he had stolen a organization. Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals policeman’s gun that was later used in a murder. upheld the verdict on September 24, 2011. Although a court twice rejected the case in 2005 Süsem's earlier imprisonment stemmed from and 2007 for insufficient evidence, the ruling was allegations in March 2000 that he stole a police reversed after Süsem was imprisoned in 2010. officer's handgun that was later used in a He is currently serving a life sentence. murder. Süsem pleaded not guilty to the gun theft and murder charges. The gun possession DETAILS of TRIAL: and related serious charges against Süsem were twice rejected by Turkey's Supreme Court, which Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) ruled in 2005 and 2007 that there was Süsem, editor of the leftist culture magazine insufficient evidence to link Süsem to the crimes. Eylül Sanat Edebiyat Dergisi (September Arts However, without new evidence, after Süsem Literature Magazine), was being held at Edirne F was imprisoned in 2010 on the propaganda Type Prison on charges of helping lead the charges, the Supreme Court reversed its stance outlawed Maoist Communist Party, or MKP. and convicted him in 2011 on gun theft, murder, Authorities alleged that Süsem's magazine and other charges. The court also reinstated a produced propaganda for the party. In a letter life sentence. The court proceedings that led to published in February 2012 by the independent his conviction were marked by a number of news website Bianet, Süsem said he had been inconsistencies. For example, in his Bianet letter, detained on the MKP accusations and charged in Süsem wrote that the police officer, whose February 2010. He said the evidence against him stolen gun was later used in a number of crimes, consisted of journalistic material such as books, testified that Süsem was not the person who had postcards, and letters, along with accounts of his stolen it. Witness descriptions of the suspect did newsgathering activities such as phone not match the journalist, Süsem's wife, Eylem,

53 told CPJ. As of late 2018, Süsem continued to CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Edirne F Type serve his life sentence at Edirne Prison. No new Prison attempts to request a retrial or appeal have been CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A made, a friend of the journalist, who is not named to avoid potential repercussions, told HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A CPJ. The friend said that the journalist had no health problems. SOURCES:

PRISON SENTENCE: N/A For more information in Turkish:

LEGISLATION USED: N/A http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- ozgurlugu/135900-erdal-susem-fanzinin-satir- CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted arasi

ERDAL ŞEN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A

GENDER: Male PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years and 3 months

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former LEGISLATION USED: N/A managing editor of now-closed Meydan CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested newspaper CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, DATE of ARREST: He was arrested on August 9, İstanbul 2016 CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) SOURCES: Erdal Şen, former managing editor of now-closed Meydan newspaper, was arrested on August 9, For more information in Turkish: 2016 as part of a purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/adil- Turkey’s government accuses of having oksuzun-kacmasina-yardim-eden- established a “parallel state structure” and who kayinbiraderinin-hapis-cezasi-onandi-41228316 it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 coup https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/adil-oksuzun- attempt. Şen has been held in Silivri Prison, kacmasina-yardim-eden-kayinbiraderinin-hapis- İstanbul since August 2016. cezasi-onandi/1490853

EROL YÜKSEL

DATE of BIRTH: N/A

GENDER: Male investigation following the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Vice president of the news department of state-owned Turkish DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A Radio and Television Network (TRT) PRISON SENTENCE: N/A DATE of ARREST: 19 August 2016 LEGISLATION USED: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A Erol Yüksel, a vice president of the news CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A department of state-owned Turkish Radio and Television Network (TRT), was ordered arrested HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A on Aug. 19, 2016 as part of the government’s

EROL ZAVAR

DATE of BIRTH: 1 January 1969 Imprisoned ever since despite numerous campaigns for his release and several battles GENDER: Male with cancer. Zavar was editor in chief at Odak PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Poet and former and Direniş in 1997 and 1998 and has had two editor in chief of Odak and Direniş magazines books of poetry published during his time in prison DATE of ARREST: January 2000. PRISON SENTENCE: Life sentence DETAILS of ARREST: LEGISLATION USED: N/A Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted Erol Zavar, editor of Odak magazine, was arrested in 2007. He is serving a life sentence in CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Sincan Number prison for a conviction on attempting to 1 F Type Prison, Ankara overthrow the constitutional order by force in CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A connection with his alleged links to illegal resistance organisation Direniş Hareketi. HEALTH CONCERNS:

DETAILS of TRIAL: Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI)

Source 1: PEN International Case List Zavar reportedly suffers from bladder cancer, leading his family to raise concerns about his Convicted of “attempting to overthrow the health behind bars. constitutional order” in January 2001.

FAHRİ ÖZTOPRAK

DATE of BIRTH: N/A it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Öztoprak was convicted to 6 years and GENDER: Male 3 months in prison, yet the charges remain PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former Samsun unclear. He is currently imprisoned in Erzurum H- correspondent for CİHAN news agency type prison.

DATE of ARREST: 12 December 2016 DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A

DETAILS of ARREST: PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years and 3 months

Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) LEGISLATION USED: N/A

Fahri Öztoprak, former Samsun correspondent CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested for CİHAN news agency and now-closed Zaman CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Erzurum H-type newspaper, was arrested on December 12, 2016 prison. as part of a purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A Turkey’s government accuses of having HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A established a “parallel state structure” and who

FARUK AKKAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A which was founded in 1986, was fully taken over by the Gülen movement the following year and GENDER: Male was able to continue operating only due to the PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for the group’s financial support. It also accuses the Cihan News Agency group of “using the media as a weapon” to “manipulate society”, and alleges that Zaman

DATE of ARREST: 5 August, 2016 employed “columnists with ideas that could DETAILS of ARREST: have supported the organization”.

Source 1: International Press Institution (IPI) Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists

Faruk Akkan, a reporter with the Cihan News Police detained Akkan, the general director of Agency, was ordered arrested on Aug. 5, 2016 as the Cihan News Agency, at his home in Istanbul part of the government purge of individuals on July 27, 2016, according to a message posted accused of spreading propaganda for the to his Twitter account on his behalf, referring to outlawed movement headed by U.S.-based cleric him in the third person. Istanbul's Third Court of Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government Penal Peace ordered the then 46-year-old accuses of having established a “parallel state journalist jailed pending trial "based on the structure” and who it blames for the failed July strong suspicion" that he was a member of a 15, 2016 coup attempt. terrorist organization. He was accused of being a follower of exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, DETAILS of TRIAL: whom the Turkish government accuses of Source 1: International Press Institution (IPI) maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel state structure" (FETÖ/PDY, by its Turkish Faruk Akkan, a reporter with the Cihan News acronym) and of masterminding a July 15 failed Agency, was ordered arrested on Aug. 5, 2016 as military coup. According to legal documents, the part of the government purge of individuals court based its conclusion on Akkan's accused of spreading propaganda for the employment at the Cihan News Agency, which it outlawed movement headed by U.S.-based cleric called "within the structure of FETÖ/PDY's media Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government arm." A court in March 2016 ordered the news accuses of having established a “parallel state agency's parent company, the Feza Media structure” and who it blames for the failed July Group, placed under government-appointed 15, 2016 coup attempt. On April 27, 2017, an trustee, on the grounds that it was a Gülenist Istanbul court accepted an indictment against mouthpiece. Akkan told the court that he started Akkan and 29 other former Zaman Media Group working at the news agency's foreign desk in employees that accuses them of attempting to 2004 and then went to Russia in 2006 as a overthrow the government, the Constitution and reporter, where he stayed until 2015, when he Parliament, and which seeks three consecutive returned to Istanbul and became general life sentences for each suspect. The indictment director. Akkan is on trial alongside 30 journalists also seeks another 15 years for each suspect on and media workers and an academic. All are charges of being members of a terrorist charged with “attempting, through violence and organisation. The indictment alleges that Zaman, force, to disrupt and replace the order as

59 recognized by Turkey’s Constitution,” HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A “attempting through violence and force to SOURCES: eliminate or prevent Parliament from carrying out its duties,” and “being a member of an For more information in English: armed terrorist organization.” Not all of the defendants are in custody. The trial’s first https://expressioninterrupted.com/court- hearing began in Istanbul on September 18, convicts-10-suspects-separated-from-zaman- 2017, according to local reports. In the trial/ indictment, reviewed by CPJ, the prosecution https://expressioninterrupted.com/court- said that the defendants’ journalism, including convicts-10-suspects-separated-from-zaman- opinion pieces or their employment by pro- trial/ Gülen outlets such as the daily Zaman and Cihan News Agency, is evidence that the journalists http://bianet.org/english/freedom-of- were part of the so-called Fethullah Gülen expression/198946-verdict-in-zaman-trial- Terrorist Organization/Parallel State Structure prison-sentence-for-6-journalists (FETÖ/PDY). The indictment accused the http://bianet.org/english/print/189942-1st- journalists—which it referred to as “the media hearing-in-zaman-daily-trial-held-defendants- force of the terrorist organization”—of continue-statements-today producing false news to weaken the government, insult or humiliate the authorities, For information in Turkish: attempt to disrupt the peace, and to create an http://platform24.org/guncel/3013/zaman- environment suitable for a coup. Akkan denied gazetesi-davasindan-ayrilan-10-saniga-hapis- the charges, according to the indictment. A court cezasi in Istanbul on April 30, 2018, found Akkan guilty of “being a member of a [terrorist] organization” https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/cihan- and sentenced him to nine years in prison, haber-ajansi-genel-muduru-faruk-akkana-feto- according to news reports. The time he has uyeliginden-9-yil-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ already served will count toward his sentence, http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- according to the reports. ozgurlugu/181984-54-gazeteci-ve-yazarin-mal- PRISON SENTENCE: 9 years varligina-el-kondu

LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/zaman-gazetesi- eski-calisanlarinin-davasinda-ka-40821945 CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A 574815/Zaman_gazetesinin_eski_ekibine_oper CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A asyon.html

FERHAT ÇİFTÇİ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Kurdistan, or KCK, and producing propaganda for the organization. Legal representation for Çiftçi GENDER: Male and other detained Azadiya Welat journalists PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Azadiya Welat recently changed. The new defense lawyer, Gaziantep bureau chief Cemil Sözen, who is representing Çiftçi on appeal, said he could not comment because he

DATE of ARREST: 16 February 2011 was not yet familiar with the case. Azadiya Welat DETAILS of ARREST: News Editor Menderes Öner also declined comment, citing the legal complexities. Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) PRISON SENTENCE: 21 years and 8 months Ferhat Çiftçi, Azadiya Welat Gaziantep bureau chief, was arrested in 2011. He was convicted LEGISLATION USED: N/A over alleged links to outlawed Kurdish militant CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested groups and is currently serving a sentence of 21 years and eight months in prison. CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Gaziantep H Type Prison DETAILS of TRIAL: CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists – Turkey’s Press Freedom Crisis (Report) HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

Çiftçi, Gaziantep correspondent for the SOURCES: Kurdishlanguage daily Azadiya Welat, was For more information in Turkish: serving a term of 21 years and eight months at Gaziantep H Type Prison on charges of being a http://bianet.org/bianet/print/139065- member of the banned Union of Communities in gazeteciligin-romanini-yaziyoruz

FEVZİ YAZICI

DATE of BIRTH: N/A (FETÖ/PDY, by its Turkish acronym) and of masterminding a July 15, 2016, failed military GENDER: Male coup. According to court records seen by CPJ, PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Layout editor Yazıcı told the court that he started his career at for the Zaman newspaper the weekly Aksiyon, and later joined the daily Zaman as its chief page designer. The DATE of ARREST: Ordered jailed pending trial on government ordered both publications closed by th the 5 of August, 2016. decree using emergency powers it assumed after DETAILS of ARREST: the failed military coup, asserting they had links to FETÖ/PDY. The court concluded that there Source 1: International Press Institution (IPI) was a strong suspicion that Yazıcı was a member Fevzi Yazıcı, layout editor for the now-closed of FETÖ/PDY because he worked in media Zaman newspaper, was ordered jailed pending outlets that were "within the structure of trial on Aug. 5, 2016 as part of a purge of FETÖ/PDY's media arm." Yazıcı, under journalists allegedly linked to U.S.-based cleric questioning, told the court that he did not know Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government who owned Aksiyon. He said that he did not accuses of having established a “parallel state know whether Zaman had ever criticized Gülen- structure” and who it blames for the failed July -whom he admitted having met at one of the 15, 2016 coup attempt. Although Yazıcı, as preacher's sermons in the U.S., where Gülen is Zaman’s chief page designer, was not directly exiled--and that he was responsible only for responsible for news content, the court laying out the newspaper's pages. The trial reportedly based its decision on the “strong began in Istanbul on July 19, 2017. The co- suspicion” that he was a member of the Gülenist defendants are the brothers Ahmet Altan, movement and working for a media outlet that Mehmet Altan, Nazlı Ilıcak, a former columnist was “within the structure of [the movement’s] for Özgür Düşünce and a former TV host for the media arm”. shuttered broadcaster Can Erzincan TV; Yakup Şimşek, the newspaper's former advertising DETAILS of TRIAL: director; and Şükrü Tuğrul Özşengül, a former police academy instructor and TV commentator, Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) according to reports. The defendants were Turkish authorities issued a warrant for the charged with: “attempting to eliminate the detention of Fevzi Yazıcı, the then-44-year-old Constitutional order,” “attempting to eliminate layout editor of the shuttered newspaper the government of Turkey or to prevent it from Zaman, on July 27, 2016. CPJ was unable to its duties partially or totally through violence and determine the precise date he was taken into force,” “attempting to eliminate the parliament custody. Istanbul's Third Court of Penal Peace on of Turkey or to prevent it from its duties partially August 4, 2016, ordered Yazıcı jailed, pending or totally through violence and force,” and trial on charges of being a follower of exiled “aiding an armed terrorist organization without preacher Fethullah Gülen, whom the Turkish being a member,” according to the indictment. government accuses of maintaining a terrorist All the defendants denied the charges. According organization and "parallel state structure" to press reports from June 2017, Yazıcı told the

62 court that he worked at Zaman because “they 8- https://expressioninterrupted.com/free offered very good pay and conditions.” Yazıcı dom-of-expression-and-the-press-in- said, “Do not evaluate the Zaman I worked for turkey-162/ with today's extraordinary conditions. There was 9- https://expressioninterrupted.com/retri no 'terrorism' accusation against the newspaper. al-of-altans-case-to-begin-in-october/ Those who wanted to advertise [in the 10- https://expressioninterrupted.com/alta newspaper] did. There were official ads ns-case-trial-court-abides-by-supreme- featured. Government leaders were giving court-ruling-keeps-defendants-in-jail/ interviews.” On February 16, 2018, a court 11- https://expressioninterrupted.com/righ sentenced Yazıcı, alongside Mehmet Altan, ts-groups-retrial-of-altans-case-begins- Ahmet Altan, Ilıcak, and Şimşek, to life in prison on-new-bogus-charges/ without parole for “attempting, through 12- https://expressioninterrupted.com/ah violence and force, to disrupt and replace the met-altan-nazli-ilicak-released-after-3- order as recognized by Turkey's Constitution,” years-in-prison/ according to news reports. On October 2, 2018, a local appeals court in Istanbul upheld the life PRISON SENTENCE: Life sentence sentences, according to reports. The journalists’ lawyers said they will appeal. LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 309/1

Source 2: Expression Interrupted CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

More information about the legal process can be CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, found below: İstanbul

1- https://expressioninterrupted.com/jour CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A nalists-remain-behind-bars-after-third- hearing-in-altans-trial/ HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A 2- https://expressioninterrupted.com/jour SOURCES: nalists-in-state-of-emergency-107/ 3- https://expressioninterrupted.com/judg For more information in Turkish: e-refuses-to-put-top-courts-decision- Website: http://www.freefevzi.com/ on-the-record-expels-lawyers/ 4- https://expressioninterrupted.com/cou https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- rt-altans-and-ilicak-co-perpetrators-in- gazetesi-gorsel-yonetmeni-fevzi-yaziciya- coup-attempt/ anayasal-duzeni-ortadan-kaldirmaya-tesebbus- 5- https://expressioninterrupted.com/app suclamasindan-agirlastirilmis-muebbet-hapis- eal-process-in-altans-ilicak-case-to- cezasi-verildi/ begin-this-week/ Information about legal proceedings: 6- https://expressioninterrupted.com/pro secutor-insists-on-aggravated-life- 1- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/o sentences-in-altans-appeal-trial/ laganustu-halde-gazeteciler-7/ 7- https://expressioninterrupted.com/cou 2- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/o rt-rejects-appeals-against-life- laganustu-halde-gazeteciler-44/ sentences-in-altans-case/ 3- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/n azli-ilicak/

4- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a 18- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a hmet-altan/ ltanlar-ilicak-davasinda-istinaf- 5- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/ durusmasi-goruluyor/ mehmet-altan-rousseauyu-da- 19- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a yargilardiniz/ ltanlar-ve-ilicak-istinaf-davasinda-ikinci- 6- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/o durusma-goruluyor/ laganustu-halde-gazeteciler-83/ 20- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/y 7- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/o argitaya-giden-altanlar-davasinda- laganustu-halde-gazeteciler-106/ savcilik-darbe-hukmunun-bozulmasini- 8- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a istedi/ ltanlar-ve-ilicakin-durusmasinda- 21- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/y tahliye-cikmadi/ argitay-altanlar-ve-ilicaka-verilen- 9- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a muebbet-hapis-cezalarini-bozdu/ ltanlar-davasinda-savci-muebbet-istedi/ 22- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a 10- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/o ltanlar-davasi-8-ekimde-basliyor/ laganustu-halde-gazeteciler-123/ 23- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a 11- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a ltanlar-ve-ilicak-davasinda-mahkeme- ltan-kardesler-ve-ilicakin-yargilandigi- yargitay-kararina-uydu/ davada-sona-gelindi/ 24- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/t 12- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a urkiyede-basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu-228/ ltanlar-ve-ilicak-davasinda-avukatlar- 25- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/h yine-disari-atildi/ ak-orgutlerinden-aciklama-altanlar- 13- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a davasinda-mesnetsiz-suclamalar- ltanlar-ve-ilicak-davasinda-karar-gunu/ dusurulsun/ 14- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a 26- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/t ltanlar-ve-ilicaka-agirlastirilmis- urkiyede-basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu-231/ muebbet-hapis-cezasi/ 27- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a 15- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/g hmet-altan-ve-nazli-ilicakin- erekceli-karar-maddi-cebire-istirak- tahliyelerine-karar-verildi/ ettiler/ 28- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/o 16- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/is rtak-aciklama-ahmet-altan-ve-nazli- tinaf-mahkemesi-mehmet-altanin- ilicak-tahliye-edildi-ancak-baskilar- tahliyesine-karar-verdi/ suruyor/ 17- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/a ltanlar-ve-ilicak-davasinda-istinaf- sureci-basliyor/

GÖKÇE FIRAT ÇULHAOĞLU

DATE of BIRTH: 8 March 1974 ordered 21 of the imprisoned defendants released conditionally, but prosecutors GENDER: Male successfully objected to the release of eight of PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: a columnist/op- them and the release order for the other 13 was ed contributor with the Türksolu newspaper blocked hours later. The defendants – with the exception of Akkuş, who was freed after having DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on 3 been imprisoned since July 30, 2016 – remained September 2016 behind bars and the judges who made the order DETAILS of ARREST: were suspended. Prosecutors later brought new charges against 13 of the journalists on charges Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) of trying to overthrow the government and the Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, a columnist/op-ed constitutional order. Those facing the new contributor with the Türksolu newspaper, was charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, ordered arrested on Sept. 3, 2016 as part of a Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.- Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız. based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s Source 2: Expression Interrupted government accuses of having established a “parallel state structure” and who it blames for Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, the chairman of Ulusal the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Çulhaoğlu Parti (National Party) and chief columnist for the is one of 29 journalists charged in a case accusing Türk Solu (Turkish Left) magazine, was taken into them of having been part of the Gülen custody on August 31, 2016, as part of an movement’s “media wing”. investigation against the “media branch of the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization/Parallel State DETAILS of TRIAL: Structure (FETÖ/PDY).” Arrest warrants against Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) 35 people including Çulhaoğlu were issued as part of the investigation, where the majority of They face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. As the suspects are either journalists or academics. of May 2, 2017, other journalists imprisoned in Upon finding out about the investigation, connection with the case include Abdullah Kılıç, Çulhaoğlu reported to the Çağlayan Courthouse Ahmet Memiş, Atilla Taş, Bayram Kaya, in Istanbul, where he was taken into custody by Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan the police upon the prosecutor’s request. Acar, Cuma Ulus, Emre Soncan, Habib Güler, Halil Çulhaoğlu and 11 others who were detained as İbrahim Balta, Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, part of the investigation testified before a Murat Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Mutlu prosecutor on September 2, 2016. Eight of the Çölgeçen, Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Ufuk Şanlı, suspects, including Çulhaoğlu, were referred to a Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız. Six night court for arrest. In the early hours of other journalists face charges in the case, September 3, the court issued an order for the including Ali Akkuş, Bülent Ceyhan, Davut Aydın, arrest of Çulhaoğlu alongside journalists Murat Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, Muhterem Tanık and Aksoy, Atilla Taş and Mutlu Çölgeçen on grounds Said Sefa, the latter of whom reportedly had fled that they “aided a terrorist organization without the country. On March 31, 2017 a court in Turkey being its member.” The indictment against

Çulhaoğlu and 28 other suspects, a large number beginning of the proceedings, ruled for of whom are journalists, seeks prison sentences continued detention for all detained suspects in of up to 15 years for each suspect on charges of line with the prosecutor’s request. The first “membership in a terrorist organization.” Citing hearing in the case where Çulhaoğlu and 12 his social media posts and excerpts from several others were facing two aggravated life of his books and columns, the indictment states sentences on coup charges, was held on August that it is “conceived that Çulhaoğlu manipulated 16-17, 2017. At the end of the session, Bünyamin the public opinion on behalf of the organization Köseli and Cihan Acar, two former and thus is a member of the organization.” The correspondents for the shuttered news outlets prosecutor pointed out that although the Aksiyon magazine and Bugün daily, respectively, grounds for Çulhaoğlu’s initial arrest was “aiding were released under judicial control, while a terrorist organization,” the charge against him Çulhaoğlu and other defendants remained was now confirmed as “membership in a behind bars. The judges also ruled that the said terrorist organization,” based on the social case be merged with the “FETÖ media leg” trial, media posts and excerpts in the indictment. where the suspects faced “membership in a Çulhaoğlu gave his defense statement during the terrorist organization” charges. The first hearing first hearing of the case, held on March 27-31, post the merging of the two cases was held on 2017, at the Istanbul 25th High Criminal Court. October 24, 2017, at the Istanbul 25th On the last day of the hearing, the prosecutor High Criminal Court. At the end of the court requested the release of 13 defendants including session, the judges ruled for the release of Çulhaoğlu, and the panel of judges ordered the journalist Murat Aksoy and Atilla Taş. No new release of 21 of the 26 suspects under arrest, release orders were issued in the including the 13 suspects for whom the trial’s hearing on December 3 and 4. The third prosecution sought release. However, the same hearing in the trial after two separate case files day in the evening hours, news arrived that yet were merged in August took place on February another investigation on charges of “attempting 6, 2018. During the hearing, the prosecutor to overthrow the government and the submitted his final opinion on the case, constitutional order” had been opened against requesting the court to acquit 13 defendants of the 13 defendants who had just been released the “coup” charge. He requested that all but and thus Çulhaoğlu and his 12 co-defendants three defendants, Murat Aksoy, Gökçe Fırat were taken into custody once again as they were Çulhaoğlu and Muhterem Tanık, are convicted leaving the prison premises. Following a two- of “membership in FETÖ/PDY terrorist week period of detention at the Istanbul anti- organization” while the rest of the defendants terror police headquarters, Çulhaoğlu and 11 are convicted of “aiding FETÖ/PDY terrorist others were jailed pending trial, this time on the organization without being part of its new coup related charges, on April 14, 2017. The hierarchical structure.” The prosecutor also second hearing of the “FETÖ media leg” trial, requested the release of Çulhaoğlu on account of where Çulhaoğlu is charged with “membership the changed accusation. The 25th High Criminal in a terrorist organization,” was held on April 27, Court of Istanbul on February 22 and 23 heard 2017. No observers were allowed into the the final defense statements of 26 defendants in courtroom, except for a limited number the case. Thirteen defendants addressed the of journalists. The next hearing was held on July court on those two days, at the end of which the 6. At the end of the court session, the panel of court adjourned the trial until March 7 and 8 to judges, which was the third new panel since the hear the remaining defense statements. The

66 court announced its verdict at the end of CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, the March 7-8 hearing, convicting 25 İstanbul defendants, including Çulhaoğlu, of terroism- CONDITIONS of DETENTION: related charges. The court sentenced Çulhaoğlu and 10 of his co-defendants to 6 years and 3 Information on his conditions of detention and months in prison for “membership in an armed health concerns can be found in a questionnaire terrorist organization” and ruled for the by Platform 24 (P24). continuation of detention of the imprisoned defendants in the case. In October, the appeals The Turkish version of the questionnaire is against prison sentences given to 25 defendants available here. in the case were rejected by an appellate HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A court. The 2nd Criminal Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice rendered its decision on SOURCES: 22 October. The court made the ruling without a For more information in Turkish: public hearing despite the defense lawyers’ requests for a hearing. The appellate court also https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/gokce- ruled for the continuation of detention of all firat-culhaoglu/ jailed defendants in the case. Convictions against https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- the journalists are now expected to be taken to gokce-firat-culhaogluna-orgut-uyeliginden-6-yil- the Supreme Court of Appeals. 3-ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years and 3 months

LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2

CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

GURBET ÇAKAR

DATE of BIRTH: N/A the Renge Heviya Jine women magazine. Çakar is tried on the grounds of news, articles and GENDER: Female photographs published in the only women PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor of Hevi magazine in Turkey publishing in Kurdish and Women’s magazine Turkish. In the hearing on 7 October, the Public Prosecutor presented his final speech. He DATE of ARREST: 2011 demanded Çakar's punishment under charges of DETAILS of ARREST: "membership of the PKK", the militant Kurdistan Workers Party, and "spreading propaganda for Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) the PKK via the media".

She was convicted over alleged links to outlawed Prosecutor: Crime committed on behalf of an Kurdish militant groups and is currently serving a illegal organization sentence of seven years and six months in prison. Çakar was detained in March after she had given her statement to the Diyarbakır Public Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Prosecutor. She is detained at the Diyarbakır Cakar, editor-in-chief of the Kurdish women’s prison ever since. Çakar attended the hearing magazine Rengê Hevîya Jinê (The Color of together with her lawyer Servet Özen. The Women’s Hope), was charged under the prosecutor claimed that Çakar "disseminated country’s Anti-Terror Law with spreading the organizational propaganda" in ten articles and propaganda of the banned Kurdistan Workers photographs published in the 5th edition of the Party, or PKK. Prosecutors sought a 20-year magazine. According to the prosecutor's final prison term on the charges, which were pending submission, an investigation into the magazine's in late year. contents of the 2nd and 4th edition was launched. Nevertheless, Çakar, as the editorial DETAILS of TRIAL: manger, did not alter the publication policies of the magazine and continued to spread Source 1: Bianet organizational propaganda as if the magazine Journalist Çakar Faces 20 Years in Jail, 11 was a publication organ of the PKK, the October 2010 prosecutor stated.

The prosecution demanded imprisonment of 20 Decision expected for 30 December years for Gurbet Çakar, editorial manager of the Çakar pleaded for her acquittal, her lawyer Özen Kurdish-Turkish Renge Heviya Jine women demanded her client's release pending trial and magazine. She is charged with spreading requested additional time to prepare the final propaganda for the PKK and "committing a crime defence speech. The court dismissed the on behalf of the organization". The prosecutor of lawyer's request for Çakar's release. Özen was the 6th High Criminal Court of Diyarbakır (south- allowed additional time until 30 December. The eastern Turkey) demanded a prison sentence of court may reach a decision in the coming 20 years for Gurbet Çakar, editorial manager of hearing. (EÖ/VK)

PRISON SENTENCE: N/A SOURCES:

LEGISLATION USED: N/A For more information in Turkish:

CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- ozgurlugu/125300-gazeteci-gurbet-cakar-in-20- CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Van E Type yil-hapsi-istendi Prison http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A ozgurlugu/122671-kadin-dergisinin-muduru- HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A gurbet-cakar-uc-aydir-hapiste

HABİP GÜLER

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Akkuş, who was freed after having been imprisoned since July 30, 2016 – remained GENDER: Male behind bars and the judges who made the order PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former Zaman were suspended. Prosecutors later brought new parliamentary reporter charges against 13 of the journalists on charges of trying to overthrow the government and the DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on constitutional order. Those facing the new th 30 of July, 2016 charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, DETAILS of ARREST: Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız. Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) DETAILS of TRIAL: Habib Güler, a former Zaman reporter, was ordered arrested on July 30, 2016 as part of a Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.- Police in Istanbul detained Habib Güler, the based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s shuttered daily Zaman's former parliamentary government accuses of having established a reporter, on July 25, 2016, his lawyer told CPJ. “parallel state structure” and who it blames for Istanbul's First Court of Penal Peace on July 29, the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Güler is 2016, arraigned Güler and ordered him jailed, one of 29 journalists charged in a case accusing pending trial, on charges of being a member of a them of having been part of the Gülen terrorist organization. The charge was based on movement’s “media wing”. They face up to 10 the suspicion that he is a follower of exiled years in prison if convicted. As of May 2, 2017, preacher Fethullah Gülen, whom the Turkish other journalists imprisoned in connection with government accuses of maintaining a terrorist the case include Abdullah Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, organization and "parallel state structure" in Atilla Taş, Bayram Kaya, Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Turkey (FETÖ/PDY, by its Turkish acronym) and Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Emre of masterminding a July 15, 2016, failed military Soncan, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Halil İbrahim coup. An Istanbul court in March 2016 ordered Balta, Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat the Feza Media Group, which owned Zaman and Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, several other media outlets, placed under Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, trustees appointed by the government, saying Yakup Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız. Six other the newspaper was a FETÖ/PDY mouthpiece. journalists face charges in the case, including Ali The government used emergency powers Akkuş, Bülent Ceyhan, Davut Aydın, Muhammed arrogated after the failed July 15, 2016, military Sait Kuloğlu, Muhterem Tanık and Said Sefa, the coup to order the newspaper closed by decree latter of whom reportedly had fled the country. on July 27, 2016. According to court records seen On March 31, 2017 a court in Turkey ordered 21 by CPJ, the state alleged that the then 38-year- of the imprisoned defendants released old Güler's work at Zaman was evidence of his conditionally, but prosecutors successfully membership in the group. The state also alleged objected to the release of eight of them and the that police caught Güler as he was destroying release order for the other 13 was blocked hours evidence, one of the conditions under which a later. The defendants – with the exception of

70 suspect can be ordered jailed pending trial the release and they were relieved of duty, according to Turkish law. Güler told the court according to the reports. An Istanbul court on that prosecutors asked him about his activity on March 8, 2018, found Güler and at least 21 of the Twitter. The court specifically asked him about other journalists on trial guilty of "being a one post he published on the social media member of a [terrorist] organization,” and website on October 13, 2014. The court sentenced Güler to six years and three months in document did not include the content of the prison, according to reports. The court acquitted tweet, and the tweet has apparently been all the defendants of the more serious coup- deleted since, but Güler told the court, "I related charges in the second indictment. At tweeted that, but I did not fully understand the least 18 of the journalists were sent to prison for [Gülenist network] back then. I behaved varying prison terms. Two of them-- Atilla Taş emotionally." When asked if he wanted to help and Murat Aksoy—were sentenced and released authorities crack down on FETÖ/PDY in exchange for time served, and the journalists Bünyamin for leniency, Güler said he was only a Köseli and Cihan Acar remain free pending the parliamentary reporter and that the "[people] appeal, according to reports. Lawyers for the really responsible escaped abroad," according to journalists told CPJ they are appealing the the court's order to jail him pending trial. Güler verdict. As of late 2018, the local appeal process is one of 17 co-accused on trial together. In the was ongoing. original indictment, all but one of them were Source 2: Expression Interrupted charged with “being a member of an armed [terrorist] organization,” which carries up to 10 The 25th High Criminal Court of Istanbul on years in prison, according to news reports. The February 23, 2018, continued hearing final indictment accused the defendants of defense statements in what was the second manipulating public perception of FETÖ to turn session of the latest hearing in the case publicly people against the government, which, known as the “FETÖ media trial,” in which 26 prosecutors argued, made them members of the defendants, including former T24 columnist group. CPJ found the indictment to be similar to Murat Aksoy and former singer and newspaper those presented at trials of other journalists in columnist Atilla Taş, are standing trial on Turkey. Prosecutors cited as evidence “membership in a terrorist organization” journalistic activity or acts of free speech and charges. Five of the defendants, Cemal Azmi communication, or cited circumstantial evidence Kalyoncu, Cihan Acar, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, such as being employed by a certain media Habib Güler and Halil İbrahim Balta, gave their outlet or having an account at a bank allegedly final defense statements on the second day of linked to Gülenists. In Güler’s case, prosecutors the hearing, monitored by P24 at the courtroom. cited as evidence his employment by Zaman, his A detailed report on the hearing can be found social media activism and his account with Bank here: https://expressioninterrupted.com/no- Asya, which the government accused of being a verdict-in-media-trial-court-to-hear-more- Gülenist institution. When the trial started in statements-in-march/ March 2017, an Istanbul court ordered Güler and several of the other journalists to be released PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years 3 months while the case was heard, according to news LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 reports. Prosecutors successfully appealed the decision, and authorities ordered an CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested investigation into the judges who had ordered

CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, For more information in Turkish: İstanbul https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A habip-gulere-orgut-uyeliginden-6-yil-3-ay-hapis- cezasi-verildi/ HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A http://platform24.org/guncel/2095/olaganustu- SOURCES: h-l-de-gazeteciler---ozel

HAKAN TAŞDELEN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A

GENDER: Male have supported the organization". As of April 28, 2017, other journalists imprisoned in the case PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter include Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, Ahmet Turan DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on Alkan, Alaattin Güner, Ali Bulaç, Cuma Kaya, the 5th of August, 2016 Faruk Akkan, Hüseyin Turan, İbrahim Karayeğen, Mehmet Özdemir, Mümtazer Türköne, Murat DETAILS of ARREST: Avcıoğlu, Mustafa Ünal, Şahin Alpay, Şeref Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Yılmaz and Zafer Özsoy.

Reporter Hakan Taşdelen was ordered arrested DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A on Aug. 5, 2016 as part of the government purge PRISON SENTENCE: 9 years of individuals accused of spreading propaganda for the outlawed movement headed by U.S.- LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested government accuses of having established a “parallel state structure” and who it blames for CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. On April CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A 27, 2017, an Istanbul court accepted an indictment against Taşdelen and 29 other former HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Zaman Media Group employees that accuses them of attempting to overthrow the SOURCES: government, the Constitution and Parliament, For more information in English: and which seeks three consecutive life sentences for each suspect. The indictment also seeks https://expressioninterrupted.com/court- another 15 years for each suspect on charges of convicts-10-suspects-separated-from-zaman- being members of a terrorist organisation. The trial/ indictment alleges that Zaman, which was For more information in Turkish: founded in 1986, was fully taken over by the Gülen movement the following year and was https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- able to continue operating only due to the hakan-tasdelene-feto-uyeliginden-9-yil-hapis- group’s financial support. It also accuses the cezasi-verildi/ group of “using the media as a weapon” to http://platform24.org/guncel/3013/zaman- “manipulate society”, and alleges that Zaman gazetesi-davasindan-ayrilan-10-saniga-hapis- employed “columnists with ideas that could cezasi

HALİL İBRAHİM MERT

DATE of BIRTH: N/A it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. GENDER: Male DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Erzurum correspondent of state-owned Turkish Radio and PRISON SENTENCE: N/A Television Network (TRT) LEGISLATION USED: N/A DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested the 23rd of July, 2016. CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Halil İbrahim Mert, Erzurum correspondent of state-owned Turkish Radio and Television SOURCES: Network (TRT), was ordered arrested on July 23, 2016 as part of a purge of journalists allegedly For more information in Turkish: linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/188217- Turkey’s government accuses of having 34-eski-trt-calisani-hakkinda-gozalti-karari established a “parallel state structure” and who

HAMİT DUMAN (alias DİLBAHAR)

DATE of BIRTH: N/A

GENDER: Male Convicted of leadership of an armed organization under Article 314/1 of the Turkish PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: A columnist/op- Penal Code and leadership of a terrorist ed contributor with Azadiya Welat organization under Article 5 of the Anti-Terror DATE of ARREST: 13 February 2010 Law in early 2013 and sentenced to 16 years in prison. DETAILS of ARREST: PRISON SENTENCE: 16 years Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) LEGISLATION USED: N/A Hamit Dilbahar, a columnist/op-ed contributor with Azadiya Welat, was arrested in 2010. He CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted was convicted over alleged links to outlawed CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Erzurum E-type Kurdish militant groups and is currently serving a prison sentence of 17 years in prison. CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL: HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) SOURCES: Dilbahar, a columnist for the Kurdish-language daily Azadiya Welat, was serving a 16-year term For more information in English: at Erzurum H Type Prison on charges of being a http://bianet.org/english/freedom-of- member of the banned Union of Communities in expression/157186-bia-media-monitoring-and- Kurdistan, or KCK. Apart from being featured on freedom-of-expression-report-full-text the imprisoned journalist lists of independent news portal Bianet and others, little is known about Dilbahar. Legal representation for Dilbahar and other detained Azadiya Welat journalists recently changed. The new defense lawyer, Cemil Sözen, who is representing Dilbahar on appeal, said he could not comment because he was not yet familiar with the case. Azadiya Welat News Editor Menderes Öner also declined comment, citing the legal complexities.

Source 2: PEN International Global Case List

HAMZA GÜNERİGÖK

DATE of BIRTH: N/A CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

GENDER: Male CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Anchor with CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A state-owned Turkish Radio and Television HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Network (TRT) SOURCES: DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on 30th of January, 2017. For more information in English:

DETAILS of ARREST: https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-163/ Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- Hamza Günerigök, an anchor with of state- expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-180/ owned Turkish Radio and Television Network (TRT), was ordered arrested on Jan. 30, 2017 as For more information in Turkish: part of the government’s investigation following the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/eski-trt- spikeri-yunanistana-kacarken-yakalandi- DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A 40350867

PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years 3 months http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ 667980/fetoden-aranan-trt-spikeri-gunerigok- LEGISLATION USED: N/A tutuklandi.html

HANIM BÜŞRA ERDAL

DATE of BIRTH: N/A whom reportedly had fled the country. On March 31, 2017 a court in Turkey ordered 21 of GENDER: Female the imprisoned defendants released PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Columnist/op- conditionally, but prosecutors successfully ed contributor for Zaman and Yeni Hayat objected to the release of eight of them and the newspapers release order for the other 13 was blocked hours later. The defendants – with the exception of th DATE of ARREST: She was arrested on 29 of Akkuş, who was freed after having been July, 2016. imprisoned since July 30, 2016 – remained DETAILS of ARREST: behind bars and the judges who made the order were suspended. Prosecutors later brought new Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) charges against 13 of the journalists on charges Hanım Büşra Erdal, a columnist/op-ed of trying to overthrow the government and the contributor for the now-closed Zaman constitutional order. Those facing the new newspaper, was ordered arrested on July 30, charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, 2016 as part of a purge of journalists allegedly Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız. Turkey’s government accuses of having Source 2: Committee to Protect Jpurnalists (CPJ) established a “parallel state structure” and who it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 coup Police on July 26, 2016, detained Hanım Büşra attempt. Erdal, the then-35-year-old columnist and court reporter for the shuttered daily newspaper DETAILS of TRIAL: Zaman, at her family's home in the western Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Turkish province of Manisa, Turkey's state-run Anadolu News Agency reported. She was Erdal is one of 29 journalists charged in a case subsequently transferred to Istanbul to be accusing them of having been part of the Gülen investigated as part of a broad purge of movement’s “media wing”. They face up to 10 suspected followers of exiled preacher Fethullah years in prison if convicted. As of May 2, 2017, Gülen, whom the Turkish government accuses of other journalists imprisoned in connection with maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel the case include Abdullah Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, state structure" (FETÖ/PDY, by its Turkish Atilla Taş, Bayram Kaya, Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal acronym) and of masterminding a July 15, 2016, Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Emre failed military coup. Istanbul's First Court of Soncan, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habib Güler, Halil Penal Peace on July 29, 2016, ordered the İbrahim Balta, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat Aksoy, journalist jailed pending trial on charges of Mustafa Erkan Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, Oğuz membership in a terrorist organization, in large Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup part based on her long employment at Zaman, Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız. Six other journalists face according to the arraignment, which CPJ has charges in the case, including Ali Akkuş, Bülent reviewed. An Istanbul court in March 2016 Ceyhan, Davut Aydın, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, ordered the Feza Media Group, which owned Muhterem Tanık and Said Sefa, the latter of Zaman and several other media outlets, placed

77 under trustees appointed by the government on group. CPJ found the indictment to be similar to the grounds that the court considered it a those presented at trials of other journalists in FETÖ/PDY mouthpiece. The government used Turkey. Prosecutors cited as evidence emergency powers assumed after the failed July journalistic activity or acts of free speech and 15, 2016, military coup to order the newspaper communication, or cited circumstantial evidence closed by decree on July 27, 2016. According to such as being employed by a certain media the arraignment, the state alleged that Erdal was outlet or having an account at a bank allegedly detained as she was destroying evidence against linked to Gülenists. In Erdal’s case, prosecutors her, an allegation that her lawyer, Ümit Kardaş, cited as evidence her articles at Zaman and Yeni disputed in his appeal of the order to jail Erdal Hayat and her social media activity. When the pending trial, which CPJ has also reviewed. trial started in March 2017, an Istanbul court According to Turkish law, any suspicion of ordered Erdal and several of the other journalists tampering with evidence or preventing evidence to be released while the case was heard, from being collected during an investigation can according to news reports. Prosecutors be used to justify pretrial detention.Kardaş said successfully appealed the decision, and in the appeal that the allegation of destroying authorities ordered an investigation into the evidence was "imaginary." He said Erdal had judges who had ordered the release and they wanted to turn herself in to police as soon as she were relieved of duty, according to the reports. learned from the press that she was wanted, but Erdal’s lawyer, Ümit Kardaş, told CPJ in that police told her not to move, and that they September 2017 that the court order that would come for her at her family's home. Erdal's blocked his client's release was dated April 3, lawyer wrote in the appeal that police did not two days after Erdal was prevented from leaving search the journalist's family's house, but the prison. Kardaş said he planned to appeal to instead searched her apartment in Istanbul, and the Constitutional Court about the procedural found books by Gülen. Prosecutors asked Erdal violation. He said that Erdal has low morale and about a July 12, 2016, opinion article she wrote, that after she was detained again, she lost her headlined "Are you aware of danger?" in the hope in the law. An Istanbul court on March 8, newspaper Yeni Hayat, which former Zaman 2018, found Erdal and at least 21 of the other journalists launched after a court placed Zaman's journalists on trial guilty of "being a member of parent company under trusteeship. Prosecutors a [terrorist] organization,” and sentenced Erdal also asked her about the books by Gülen that to six years and three months in prison, police found in her apartment, and about her according to reports. The court acquitted all the activity on Twitter. Prosecutors also asked her defendants of the more serious coup-related whether she knew Hidayet Karaca, the jailed charges in the second indictment. At least 18 of head of Samanyolu Broadcasting Group. Erdal is the journalists were sent to prison for varying on trial with several co-accused. In the original prison terms. Two of them-- Atilla Taş and Murat indictment, all but one of them were charged Aksoy—were sentenced and released for time with “being a member of an armed [terrorist] served, and the journalists Bünyamin Köseli and organization,” which carries up to 10 years in Cihan Acar remain free pending the appeal, prison, according to news reports. The according to reports. Lawyers for the journalists indictment accused the defendants of told CPJ they are appealing the verdict. As of late manipulating public perception of FETÖ to turn 2018, the local appeal process was ongoing. In people against the government, which, response to a June 2018 poll of jailed journalists prosecutors argued, made them members of the carried out by the P24 Independent Journalism

Association, Erdal said that she has trouble with hearing, the prosecutor submitted his final access to the infirmary and that the state does opinion on the case, laying out the charges and not pay for some medication that she needs. the punishment he requests for the defendants. Erdal did not specify what problems she has with The prosecutor requested the court to acquit 13 the infirmary. The journalist said that police strip defendants of “coup” charges. He requested that searched her when she was first detained. all but three defendants, Murat Aksoy, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu and Muhterem Tanık, be charged Source 3: Expression Interrupted with “membership in FETÖ/PDY terrorist Hanım Büşra Erdal, a court reporter and a organization” while the rest be charged with columnist for the shuttered Zaman and Yeni “aiding the FETÖ/PDY terrorist organization Hayat dailies, was arrested on July 26 at her without being a part of its hierarchical family’s home in the western province of Manisa structure.” During the next hearing of the case, as part of a crackdown on journalists suspected held over two days, on February 22-23, 2018, the of links with the banned movement led by 25th High Criminal Court of Istanbul heard the Fethullah Gülen. Erdal was charged with final defense statements of 13 defendants. The “terrorist group membership” based on some of court then adjourned the trial until March 7-8, her Twitter posts and newspaper columns, along 2018, for the remaining final defense with 28 others in a case dubbed “media arm of statements. On the second day of the final FETÖ.” On March 31, at the end of the first hearing on March 8, 2018, the court announced hearing of her trial, the İstanbul 25th High its verdict, convicting 25 journalists in the case of Criminal Court ruled to release her and 20 other terrorism-related charges. Erdal and 10 other suspects pending trial. However, Erdal and seven journalists were sentenced to 6 years and 3 others were rearrested upon leaving the prison months in prison for “membership in an armed compound after the prosecutor objected to their terrorist organization.” The court also ruled for release. All three judges and prosecutor of the the continuation of detention of the imprisoned case were suspended temporarily for the defendants in the case. In October, the appeals decision to release the 21 defendants. Erdal and against prison sentences given to 25 defendants other defendants appeared before a new panel in the case were rejected by an appellate court. of judges for the second hearing of their trial on The 2nd Criminal Chamber of the Istanbul April 27. The judges ruled to continue detention Regional Court of Justice rendered its decision on of all imprisoned suspects, 20 in total, and 22 October. The court made the ruling without a adjourned the trial until July 6, 2017. In that public hearing despite defense lawyers’ requests hearing, the trial was once again adjourned until for a hearing. The appellate court also ruled for October 24. In their interim decision at the end the continuation of detention of all jailed of the hearing on October 24, judges of the court defendants in the case. Convictions against the ruled for the release of defendants Atilla Taş, journalists are now expected to be taken to the Murat Aksoy and Davut Aydın, while the rest of Supreme Court of Appeals. Erdal is currently the defendants in the case, including Erdal, were jailed at İstanbul’s Bakırköy Women’s Prison. ordered to remain in pre-trial detention and the PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years 3 months trial was adjourned until December 4, 2017. At the end of that hearing, the court ruled for the LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 continued detention of all 20 imprisoned CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested defendants, while the trial was adjourned until February 6, 2018. During the February 6, 2018,

CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Bakırköy Prison For more information in English: for Women, Istanbul https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkey%27s_med CONDITIONS of DETENTION: ia_purge_after_the_failed_July_2016_coup_d% 27%C3%A9tat Information on her conditions of detention and health concerns can be found in a questionnaire For more information in Turkish: by Platform 24 (P24). https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/hanim- The Turkish version of the questionnaire is busra-erdal-2/ available here. https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- HEALTH CONCERNS: See questionnaire above. hanim-busra-erdala-orgut-uyeliginden-6-yil-3- ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ SOURCES:

HASAN BOZKURT

DATE of BIRTH: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

GENDER: Male LEGISLATION USED: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: N/A Bugün newspaper CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A DATE of ARREST: 19th of May, 2017 CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: N/A HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A

HASAN HÜSEYİN ÖRS

for the continuation of all four’s detention. The court gave Kemal Erdem, Hasan Basri Erden, DATE of BIRTH: N/A Mehmet Alı ̇ Öget and Mustafa Ünal 7.5 year- GENDER: Male prison terms each, while İdris Selçuk was given 6 years and 3 months. Another defendant referred PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: to in court documents by the initials A.F. and DATE of ARREST: N/A who had requested to benefit from effective remorse was given a suspended jail term of 1.5 DETAILS of ARREST: N/A years and 22 days. One of the defendants, Hanife DETAILS of TRIAL: Sayılır, was acquitted of all charges, while the rest of the defendants’ files were separated. Source 1: Expression Interrupted Cavit Atasever, Mustafa Altıntaş, Servet Dağ, Mustafa Yazkan, Cihangir Çetin, Hüsamettin Jailed defendants Hasan Hüseyin Örs, İbrahim Kıroğlu, Osman Zeybek, Murat Kirti and Mustafa Halil Öztürkeri and Hasan Taşar each sentenced Beyhan will continue standing trial. Öget and to 8 years and 9 months, Özden Kınık given 8 Kirti were released pending the conclusion of the years 1 month and 15 days in prison. Ten former trial at the end of a previous hearing of the case employees of the Turkish state broadcaster TRT in October 2017. were given jail terms between 6 years and 3 months and 8 years and 9 months for PRISON SENTENCE: 8 years 9 months “membership in an armed terrorist organization” in the final hearing of the case. A LEGISLATION USED: N/A total of 21 former TRT employees who had been CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested dismissed from their posts in the aftermath of the failed coup attempt of 15 July 2016 on CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A allegations of “FETÖ membership” were CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A standing trial in the case, overseen by the Ankara 23rd High Criminal Court. Jailed defendants HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Hasan Hüseyin Örs, İbrahim Halil Öztürkeri and SOURCES: Hasan Taşar were each sentenced to 8 years and 9 months in prison while another jailed For more information in Turkish: defendant, Özden Kınık, was given 8 years 1 https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/turkiyede month and 15 days in prison. The court also ruled -basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu-169/

HASAN TAŞAR

DATE of BIRTH: N/A CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

GENDER: Males CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: TRT CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

DATE of ARREST: N/A HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A SOURCES:

DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A For more information in English:

PRISON SENTENCE: N/A For more information in Turkish:

LEGISLATION USED: N/A For more information in Kurdish:

HATİCE DUMAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A and forgery. Although Duman denied all charges, her husband testified against her, later saying GENDER: Female police threatened his family with sexual violence PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor for Atılım if he did not comply. Duman was convicted in newspaper 2011 and sentenced to life imprisonment, a sentence Turkey’s Court of Cassation upheld in DATE of ARREST: 2003 2012.

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: Life imprisonment

DETAILS of TRIAL: LEGISLATION USED: N/A

Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted

Hatice Duman, former owner and editor of the CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Bakırköy daily newspaper Atılım, was detained in 2003 Women’s Closed Prison, Istanbul and charged with being a member of the outlawed Marxist-Leninist Communist Party CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A (MLKP), producing propaganda and “attempting HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A to change the constitutional order by force." Further charges included possession of weapons

HİDAYET KARACA

DATE of BIRTH: 18 August 1963 Karaca and Kaya were among the 75 defendants of the case, including former editor-in-chief of GENDER: Male the shuttered Zaman newspaper, Ekrem PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: General Dumanlı. The case files of Dumanlı and other Director of Samanyolu Broadcast Group, defendants who could not be brought before the anchorman court before they had fled Turkey, were separated. DATE of ARREST: 19 December 2014 PRISON SENTENCE: Aggravated life sentence DETAILS of ARREST: LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 220/7 Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) and Turkish Criminal Law 309

Hidayet Karaca, the chairman of Samanyolu CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Media group, was arrested on Dec. 19, 2014 due to allegations of alleged links to U.S.-based cleric CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri 9 Nolu F- Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government type prison accuses of having established a “parallel state CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A structure” and who it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Nine others are HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A implicated in the case. Karaca is being held in the SOURCES: Silivri 9 Nolu F-type prison on charges of “membership in a terrorist organisation”. For more information in Turkish:

DETAILS of TRIAL: https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust u-halde-gazeteciler-115/ Source 1: Expression Interrupted https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/samanyolu- Hidayet Karaca, the chief executive of the yayin-grubu-baskani-hidayet-karacaya-feto- shuttered Samanyolu TV, and Alaaddin Kaya orgutu-yoneticiliginden-18-yil-iftiradan-4-yil-6- were given aggravated life sentences by an ay-resmi-belgede-sahtecilikten-9-y/ Ankara court on 8 June. Karaca and Kaya, along with two other co-defendants, were convicted of https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/samanyolu- “attempting to overthrow the constitutional yayin-grubu-baskani-hidayet-karacaya-darbe- order” in the “FETÖ” trial heard by the Ankara girisimine-istiraktan-agirlastirilmis-muebbet- 4th High Criminal Court. Authorities accuse the suc-gelirlerini-aklamak-ve-dini-duygulari-isti/ Fethullah Gülen network, now referred to as the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), of http://platform24.org/guncel/3102/olaganustu- orchestrating the 15 July 2016 coup attempt. h-l-de-gazeteciler---161

HÜSEYİN AYDIN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A release of eight of them and the release order for the other 13 was blocked hours later. The GENDER: Male defendants – with the exception of Akkuş, who PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Military affairs was freed after having been imprisoned since reporter for now closed Cihan News Agency July 30, 2016 – remained behind bars and the judges who made the order were suspended. DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on Prosecutors later brought new charges against July 30, 2016. 13 of the journalists on charges of trying to DETAILS of ARREST: N/A overthrow the government and the constitutional order. Those facing the new DETAILS of TRIAL: charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız. Hüseyin Aydın, military affairs reporter for now closed Cihan News Agency, was ordered arrested Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on July 30, 2016 as part of a purge of journalists Police in Istanbul detained Hüseyin Aydın, a allegedly linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah former military affairs reporter for the shuttered Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of Cihan News Agency, on July 26, 2016, as part of having established a “parallel state structure” a sweeping purge of journalists and others and who it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 suspected of following exiled preacher Fethullah coup attempt. Aydın is one of 29 journalists Gülen, according to press reports. The charged in a case accusing them of having been government accuses Gülen of maintaining a part of the Gülen movement’s “media wing”. terrorist organization and "parallel state They face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. As structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the government of May 2, 2017, other journalists imprisoned in calls it) within Turkey that it blames for connection with the case include Abdullah Kılıç, orchestrating a failed military coup on July 15, Ahmet Memiş, Atilla Taş, Bayram Kaya, 2016. Istanbul's Fifth Court of Penal Peace on Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan June 30, 2016, arraigned Aydın and 16 other Acar, Cuma Ulus, Emre Soncan, Gökçe Fırat journalists, ordering them jailed pending trial on Çulhaoğlu, Habib Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, charges of "being members of an armed terrorist Hanım Büşra Erdal, Murat Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan organization," according to the media Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, monitoring group P24. The daily newspaper Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin Hürriyet reported that the 17 journalists were Yıldız. Six other journalists face charges in the questioned by prosecutors on accusations of case, including Ali Akkuş, Bülent Ceyhan, Davut "being members of an armed terrorist Aydın, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, Muhterem organization," "founding or leading an armed Tanık and Said Sefa, the latter of whom terrorist organization," "knowingly and willingly reportedly had fled the country. On March 31, helping [a terrorist] organization without being 2017 a court in Turkey ordered 21 of the involved in the organization's hierarchical imprisoned defendants released conditionally, structure," and "committing crimes in the name but prosecutors successfully objected to the of a [terrorist] organization without being a

86 member." A court in March 2016 ordered the The court acquitted all the defendants of the Cihan News Agency's parent company, the Feza more serious coup-related charges in the second Media Group, put under government trustees, indictment. At least 18 of the journalists were saying it had ties to the Gülenist network. CPJ sent to prison for varying prison terms. Two of research shows that authorities have targeted them-- Atilla Taş and Murat Aksoy—were dozens of journalists formerly employed by the sentenced and released for time served, and the Feza Media Group with arrest and prosecution journalists Bünyamin Köseli and Cihan Acar on terrorism charges since the failed July 2016 remain free pending the appeal, according to coup. The government used emergency powers reports. Lawyers for the journalists told CPJ they it assumed after the coup attempt to close Feza’s are appealing the verdict. As of late 2018, the news outlets by decree. All but one of the local appeal process was ongoing. In response to journalists with whom Aydın is on trial were a June 2018 poll of jailed journalists carried out charged with “being a member of an armed by the P24 Independent Journalism Association, [terrorist] organization,” which carries up to 10 Aydın said that he had been denied access for years in prison, according to the indictment. CPJ months to a dentist. Aydın was being detained in found the indictment to be similar to those Silivri prison in Istanbul. presented at trials of other journalists in Turkey. PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years and 3 months Prosecutors cited as evidence in these cases journalistic activity or acts of free speech and LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 communication, or cited circumstantial evidence such as being employed by a certain media CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested outlet or having an account at a bank allegedly CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, linked to Gulenists. The indictment accused the İstanbul defendants of manipulating the public perception of FETÖ to turn citizens against the CONDITIONS of DETENTION: government, which prosecutors argued made Information on his conditions of detention and them members of the group that Turkey alleges health concerns can be found in a questionnaire is behind the failed attempted coup. Prosecutors by Platform 24 (P24). presented as evidence against Aydın his employment by Cihan News Agency, his social The Turkish version of the questionnaire is media activity, and his reporting that the press is available here. censored in Turkey. When the trial started in HEALTH CONCERNS: See questionnaire above. March 2017, an Istanbul court ordered Aydın and four of his co-accused to be detained for the SOURCES: duration of the trial, according to news reports. For more information in Turkish: An Istanbul court on March 8, 2018, found Aydın and at least 21 of the other journalists on trial https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- guilty of "being a member of a [terrorist] huseyin-aydina-orgut-uyeliginden-6-yil-3-ay- organization,” and sentenced Aydın to six years hapis-cezasi-verildi/ and three months in prison, according to reports.

İBRAHİM HALİL ÖZTÜRKERİ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Mehmet Alı ̇ Öget and Mustafa Ünal 7.5 year- prison terms each, while İdris Selçuk was given 6 GENDER: Male years and 3 months. Another defendant referred PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: TRT to in court documents by the initials A.F. and who had requested to benefit from effective DATE of ARREST: N/A remorse was given a suspended jail term of 1.5 DETAILS of ARREST: N/A years and 22 days. One of the defendants, Hanife Sayılır, was acquitted of all charges, while the DETAILS of TRIAL: rest of the defendants’ files were separated. Source 1: Expression Interrupted Cavit Atasever, Mustafa Altıntaş, Servet Dağ, Mustafa Yazkan, Cihangir Çetin, Hüsamettin Jailed defendants Hasan Hüseyin Örs, İbrahim Kıroğlu, Osman Zeybek, Murat Kirti and Mustafa Halil Öztürkeri and Hasan Taşar each sentenced Beyhan will continue standing trial. Öget and to 8 years and 9 months, Özden Kınık given 8 Kirti were released pending the conclusion of the years 1 month and 15 days in prison. Ten former trial at the end of a previous hearing of the case employees of the Turkish state broadcaster TRT in October 2017. were given jail terms between 6 years and 3 months and 8 years and 9 months for PRISON SENTENCE: 8 years and 9 months “membership in an armed terrorist LEGISLATION USED: N/A organization” in the final hearing of the case. A total of 21 former TRT employees who had been CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested dismissed from their posts in the aftermath of CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A the failed coup attempt of 15 July 2016 on allegations of “FETÖ membership” were CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A standing trial in the case, overseen by the Ankara HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A 23rd High Criminal Court. Jailed defendants Hasan Hüseyin Örs, İbrahim Halil Öztürkeri and SOURCES: Hasan Taşar were each sentenced to 8 years and For more information in Turkish: 9 months in prison while another jailed defendant, Özden Kınık, was given 8 years 1 http://platform24.org/medya- month and 15 days in prison. The court also ruled izleme/3230/turkiye-de-basin-ve-ifade- for the continuation of all four’s detention. The ozgurlugu---169 court gave Kemal Erdem, Hasan Basri Erden,

İBRAHİM VARLIK

DATE of BIRTH: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

GENDER: Males LEGISLATION USED: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Correspondent CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested for Cihan News Agency CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A DATE of ARREST: N/A CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: N/A HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL: SOURCES: Source 1: Expression Interrupted For more information in Turkish: Journalist İbrahim Varlık jailed pending trial https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/turkiyede İbrahim Varlık, a former correspondent for the -basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu-210/ shuttered Cihan news agency, has been jailed http://www.platform24.org/medya- pending trial. Journalist Ahmet Dönmez izleme/3768/turkiye-de-basin-ve-ifade- announced the news of Varlık’s arrest on 28 May ozgurlugu---210 via his Twitter account. No information was available as to the grounds for Varlık’s arrest or the prison he has been placed.

İDRİS OKUR

DATE of BIRTH: N/A CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

GENDER: Male HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for SOURCES: Cihan News Agency For more information in English: DATE of ARREST: N/A https://expressioninterrupted.com/lokman- DETAILS of ARREST: N/A erdogan/

DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A For more information in Turkish:

PRISON SENTENCE: N/A https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/cihan- ajansi-corum-muhabiri-idris-okur-feto- LEGISLATION USED: N/A davasindan-tutuklu-yargilaniyor/ CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

İSMAİL ÇOBAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A accountable for all of Azadiya Welat's content during his time in the role. In Turkey, all news GENDER: Male outlets are required to have a responsible news PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former editor, but the position is often temporary for managing editor for now-shuttered Kurdish opposition news outlets, due to the heavy load newspaper Azadiya Welat of trials. Çoban was previously convicted in a separate case of "making propaganda for a rd DATE of ARREST: 3 of May, 2018 [terrorist] organization." According to the DETAILS of ARREST: indictment and verdict in that case, Çoban was accused of supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Source 1: International Press Institute Worker's Party (PKK) and its leader Abdullah İsmail Çoban, former managing editor for now- Öcalan through Azadiya Welat. The prosecution shuttered Kurdish newspaper Azadiya Welat, cited as evidence reports of clashes between the was arrested on May 3, 2018, in Diyarbakır PKK and Turkey's armed forces that referred to province. On April 23, he was detained in Mersin PKK members as "guerrillas" and those PKK due to an arrest warrant in relation to an members killed in action as "martyrs," which the investigation of which he is a part, and brought prosecution argued showed support for the before a Diyarbakır court. The court ruled to put militia. The prosecutor also cited as evidence him in pretrial detention on charges of articles that referred to the PKK as the “membership of a terrorist organization” and "fundamental defender of Kurdistan" and sent Çoban to Diyarbakır D-type prison. The Öcalan as "the leader of the Kurdish people." A accusations against him remained unclear court on April 4, 2017, sentenced him to one initially as the prosecution requested a year, six months and three days in prison, as well confidential sealing order on the case. as a fine of 42,000 Turkish lira (approx. US$7,855), Tamur said. Under Turkish law, each DETAILS of TRIAL: 20 lira of an unpaid fine adds one day to a defendant's prison sentence. Tamur said that Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Çoban has not paid the fine, which had added an Police on April 21, 2018, detained İsmail Çoban, additional 2,100 days to his prison sentence. former responsible news editor for the Source 2: Expression Interrupted shuttered Kurdish-language daily Azadiya Welat, in the southeastern province of Mersin, İsmail Çoban given 5-year prison sentence on according to court documents provided by his “propaganda” charge lawyer, Resul Tamur. A court on May 3 ordered Çoban to be held on accusations of "being a İsmail Çoban, the jailed former managing editor member of a [terrorist] organization," according of the shuttered Kurdish language daily Azadiya to reports. Tamur told CPJ in an email in Welat, was given a 5-year prison sentence on 21 November 15, 2018, that a trial date had not yet November at the final hearing of his trial on the been scheduled for Çoban and that his “propaganda” charge. Çoban was accused of indictment was not immediately available. As “successively disseminating propaganda for a responsible news editor, Çoban can be held terrorist organization” on account of a number

91 of news articles and columns the newspaper CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested published in 2013. Submitting its final opinion of CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Diyarbakır D the case during the hearing at the 7th High Type Prison Criminal Court of Diyarbakır, the prosecution requested that Çoban be given a prison term of CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A up to 7 years. Çoban’s lawyer Resul Tamur, addressing the court for Çoban’s defense HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A statement, requested that the case be dismissed SOURCES: due to the statute of limitations in Article 26 of Turkey’s Press Law, since the indictment against For more information in Turkish: Çoban was drafted after the expiration of the https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/azadiya- four-month period prescribed by law. welat-gazetesinin-tutuklu-eski-yazi-isleri- Announcing its verdict at the end of the hearing, muduru-ismail-cobana-zincirleme-sekilde-orgut- the court convicted Çoban and imposed on the propagandasi-yapmaktan-bes-yil-hapis-cezasi- jailed journalist a 5-year prison term. verildi/

PRISON SENTENCE: 5 years https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/turkiyede LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 -basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu-183/

ISMAİL ERSAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Anatolia reporter arrested over ByLock use

GENDER: Male Ismail Ersan, the Yalova Bureau Chief for the Anatolia news agency, was arrested by a peace PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Yalova court in Yalova on October 20 for using the correspondent for the state-run Anadolu News ByLock chat application. The Sözcü newspaper Agency (AA) reported on Ersan’s situation on October 25, five DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on days after his arrest. Sözcü said an official Oct. 20, 2017 statement from the Yalova Chief Prosecutor’s Office had announced Ersan’s arrest. The DETAILS of ARREST: journalist is facing charges of “membership in a Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) terrorist organization,” according to Sözcü.

İsmail Ersan, the Yalova correspondent for the PRISON SENTENCE: N/A state-run Anadolu News Agency (AA), was LEGISLATION USED: N/A ordered arrested on Oct. 20, 2017 for having downloaded “Bylock”, a secretive, encrypted- CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested communications application for mobiles said to CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A have been used by followers of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A blames for the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Ersan HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A was accused of “membership in a terrorist organisation” and placed in pre-trial detention SOURCES: the same day. For more information in Turkish: DETAILS of TRIAL: https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust Source 1: Expression Interrupted u-halde-gazeteciler-114/

İSMAİL EVREN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A CONDITIONS of DETENTION:

GENDER: Male Information on his conditions of detention and health concerns can be found in a questionnaire PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: by Platform 24 (P24). DATE of ARREST: 4th of January 2019 The Turkish version of the questionnaire is DETAILS of ARREST: N/A available here.

DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A HEALTH CONCERNS: See the questionnaire above. PRISON SENTENCE: N/A SOURCES: LEGISLATION USED: N/A For more information in English: CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested For information in Turkish: CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri No. 3 L- Type Prison For information in Kurdish:

KAMURAN SUNBAT

DATE of BIRTH: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: 11 years and 11 months

GENDER: Male LEGISLATION USED: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted Cukurova correspondent of the pro-Kurdish CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Şırnak T Type Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) Prison DATE of ARREST: 11 September 2011 CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) SOURCES: Kamuran Sunbat, the former Cukurova For more information in English: correspondent of the pro-Kurdish Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA), was arrested in 2011. He was http://platform24.org/en/articles/516/journalis convicted over alleged links to outlawed Kurdish ts-in-state-of-emergency---87 militant groups and is currently serving a sentence of 11 years, 11 months in prison.

DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A

KAZIM CANLAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A May 10 hearing. Rejecting the accusations, Canlan requested that he be acquitted and GENDER: Males released. Canlan’s lawyer also requested his PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for client’s acquittal and release. Following defense Yeni Şafak Newspaper and Cihan News Agency statements, the court announced its verdict, sentencing Canlan to 7.5 years in prison on DATE of ARREST: N/A grounds that he deposited cash in Bank Asya DETAILS of ARREST: N/A upon Gülen’s instruction and used the encrypted messaging applications ByLock and Eagle, DETAILS of TRIAL: purported to be used exclusively by the Source 1: Expression Interrupted members of Gülen network.

Cihan News Agency editor convicted of PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months terrorism-related charge LEGISLATION USED: N/A

An Ankara court on May 10 convicted Kazım CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted Canlan, former news director for the Ankara bureau of the shuttered Cihan news agency, of CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Tarsus Prison “membership in a terrorist organization” for CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A having ties with the Fethullah Gülen network, which the government accuses of being behind HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A the 2016 coup attempt. Canlan gave his final SOURCES: defense statement before the 26th High Criminal Court of Ankara from the Tarsus Prison, where For more information in Turkish: he was in pretrial detention, via the courtroom https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust video-conferencing system SEGBİS during the u-halde-gazeteciler-158/

KENAN KARAVİL

DATE of BIRTH: N/A because it referred to the imprisonment of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, who was being held in a GENDER: Male prison on İmralı Island. In a January 2012 letter PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Radio World to media outlets, Karavil said authorities questioned him about the station's ownership DATE of ARREST: 2009 and the content of its programming. Court DETAILS of ARREST: officials refused to allow Karavil to give statements in his native Kurdish language, Özkan Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) said. In January 2013, the Eighth Court of Serious Kenan Karavil, editor-in-chief of Radyo Dünya, Crimes in Adana Province sentenced Karavil to was arrested in 2009. He was convicted over 25 years in prison, Özkan told CPJ. In October alleged links to outlawed Kurdish militant groups 2014, Özkan said the Supreme Court of Appeals and is currently serving a sentence of 19 years, had upheld the sentence. Özkan told CPJ that nine months in prison. Karavil filed an appeal with Turkey's Constitutional Court in 2014. In September 2018, DETAILS of TRIAL: Özkan told CPJ that Karavil was at Kürkçüler Prison in Adana. The lawyer said that the Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Constitutional Court and European Court of Karavil, editor-in-chief of the pro-Kurdish radio Human Rights both rejected the journalist’s station Radyo Dünya in the southern province of appeals. The journalist has no other avenue to Adana, served more than three years in prison appeal and will have to serve his sentence, before being convicted on charges of being a according to the lawyer. member of the banned Union of Communities in PRISON SENTENCE: 19 years and 9 months Kurdistan, or KCK, and the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK. As evidence, authorities cited LEGISLATION USED: N/A news programs that Karavil produced, his meetings with members of the pro-Kurdish CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted Democratic Society Party, and his wiretapped CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Kırıkkale F Type telephone conversations with colleagues, Closed Prison / Küçükler Prison of Adana (CPJ) listeners, and news sources, his lawyer, Vedat Özkan, told CPJ. In one phone conversation, CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A Karavil discussed naming a program "Those Who HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Imagine the Island," the lawyer said. He said the indictment considered this illegal propaganda

MEHMET ALİ AY

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Samanyolu News) , Burak Ekici (BirGün internet editor), Mehmet Ali Ay, Muhsin Pilgir GENDER: Male (correspondents of now-closed Zaman PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: newspaper and Cihan News Agency), Sait Gürkan Tuzlu (correspondent of now-closed Cihan News DATE of ARREST: 16 August, 2017 Agency) and Ahmet Feyzullah Özyurt. According DETAILS of ARREST: to the court decision, "the suspects were identified to have used the secret and encrypted Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) communication software ByLock used among Mehmet Ali Ay, a reporter, was arrested on Aug. members of the armed Fethullahist Terrorist 16, 2017 on accusations of links to U.S.-based Organization". Vatan Newspaper page designer cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government Yusuf Duran and former columnist in Türkiye accuses of having established a “parallel state Newspaper Ahmet Sağırlı, who were also among structure” and who it blames for the failed July the detained journalists, have been released on 15, 2016 coup attempt. Ay was detained for probation. Duran and Sağırlı will be under house allegedly having used mobile phone encryption arrest during the trial. application Bylock, which Turkish prosecutors PRISON SENTENCE: N/A consider to be evidence of membership in the Gülen movement. LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2

DETAILS of TRIAL: CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

Source 1: Bianet (17 August, 2017) CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

9 Journalists Arrested in ByLock Investigation CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

9 of the 11 journalists taken into custody on HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A claims that they had been using ByLock, an SOURCES: encrypted communication software allegedly used among members of Gülen community, For more information in Turkish: have been arrested. 11 journalists were taken https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/cihan- into custody on August 10 as a part of an haber-ajansi-muhabiri-mehmet-ali-ay-bylock- investigation launched by the İstanbul Chief kullandigi-iddiasiyla-feto-uyeliginden- Prosecutor's Office. The journalists were yargilaniyor/ ; https://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- referred to the İstanbul 13th Criminal Judgeship ozgurlugu/189185-9-gazeteci-bylock- of Peace yesterday (August 17) for arrest. 9 of sorusturmasi-kapsaminda-tutuklandi the journalists have been arrested and imprisoned. They are: Yasir Kaya (former For more information in Kurdish: Fenerbahçe TV News Director), Ömer Faruk https://bianet.org/kurdi/medya/189187-di- Aydemir (former Chief of Information of İhlas carcoveya-lepirsina-bylocke-de-9-rojnameger- News Agency News), Mutlu Özay, Cüneyt Seza hatin-girtin Özkan (editorial directors of now-closed

MEHMET ALİ GENÇ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A managing editor of the leftist Atılım newspaper, his lawyer told P24. Rendering its verdict at the GENDER: Male end of the hearing, the court ruled to drop the PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Varyos “propaganda” charge against Genç based on the Publication statute of limitations in Turkey’s press law, and acquitted Genç of the “praising crime or a DATE of ARREST: N/A criminal” charge.

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

DETAILS of TRIAL: LEGISLATION USED: N/A

Source 1: Expression Interrupted CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

Jailed publisher Mehmet Ali Genç acquitted in CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Adana “propaganda” case CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A Mehmet Ali Genç, the publisher and former managing editor of Varyos Publications, HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A appeared in an Istanbul court on 9 April for the SOURCES: fourth hearing of his trial on the charges of “disseminating propaganda for a terrorist group” For more information in English: and “praising crime or a criminal.” The charges https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- stemmed from an article Genç had penned for in-state-of-emergency-50/ the magazine Sosyalist Kadın. Genç was brought to the Istanbul Courthouse for the 9 April For more information in Turkish: hearing, overseen by the 23rd High Criminal Court of Istanbul. He was accompanied by his https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/turkiyede lawyer Kader Tonç. Genç is currently imprisoned -basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu-203/ in Adana, serving three separate convictions https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust from previous trials where the accusations u-halde-gazeteciler-60/ stemmed from his time as the responsible

MEHMET BARANSU

DATE of BIRTH: N/A six months in prison for “destroying, using outside the intended purpose of, and illegally GENDER: Male acquiring documents related to the security of DATE of ARREST: March 2015 the state.” Another defendant, Tuncay Opçin, remains at large. The eighth hearing of that case DETAILS of ARREST: was held on 2-4 May 2018 at the 13th High Source 1: Expression Interrupted Criminal Court of Istanbul. Baransu continued his defense statement at the hearing. The court Mehmet Baransu, a former correspondent for announced its interim ruling at the end of the the now-defunct Taraf newspaper, was arrested three-day hearing, ordering the continuation of in March 2015 for “obtaining and publishing” Baransu’s pre-trial detention and accepting classified state documents in connection with requests from five ex-military officials to join the the disclosure of a war plan called the Egemen case as co-plaintiffs. The court set 7-9 August (Sovereign) Operation Plan. 2018 as the date for the next hearing. The 10th DETAILS of TRIAL: hearing in this case was held on 1-2 November 2018 at the 13th High Criminal Court of Istanbul. Source 1: Expression Interrupted P24 monitored the hearing, where Baransu, the only imprisoned defendant in the case, and Baransu is charged with “Possession of defense lawyers, as well as plaintiffs Dursun documents classified as state secret,” “Exposing Çiçek and retired army Colonel Suat Aytın were classified information crucial to state security in attendance. Baransu made his defense and interests,” and “Damaging, procuring or statement during the two-day hearing. He stealing documents concerning the security of explained to the court that his defense the state or using said documents outside their statement was taking too long to complete intended purpose” in the indictment for this because some digital files he requested had only case, overseen by the Istanbul 13th High been delivered last week, and that he has also Criminal Court. It is one of dozens of ongoing been busy preparing defense statements for cases against Baransu, who has perhaps been in numerous other ongoing cases against him. prison longer than any of the currently Recounting to the court how he had received the imprisoned journalists in Turkey. On 4 December four CDs that included the “Balyoz” 2017, the sixth hearing in the trial of former (Sledgehammer) coup plan documents, Baransu Taraf executives for “disclosing state secrets said following the publication of the relevant through publishing confidential documents” was news stories in Taraf, an investigation was heard by the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court. launched and that he handed the said CDs to the The only jailed defendant in the case is Baransu, prosecution. As for the alleged war plans that whose lawyer had resigned. A new lawyer was constitute the basis of the allegations in this appointed for him by the state. Former Taraf case, Baransu said he has never seen any such Editor-in-Chief Ahmet Altan, former Executive document. Continuing his defense statement on Editor of the same newspaper Yasemin Çongar the second day of the hearing, Baransu said he and Managing Editor Yıldıray Oğur are also had not been allowed to bring in the courtroom defendants in the case, facing up to 52 years and newspaper clippings and books to use in his

100 defense. Adding that the said book constituted lawyers’ statements, the prosecutor requested evidence, Baransu said his right to a fair trial was the continuation of Baransu’s detention on being violated. After Baransu completed his remand. He also requested for a criminal defense, his lawyer Yahya Engin addressed the complaint to be filed against Baransu on the court. Noting that his client had been in charge of “insulting a public official” for calling a detention on remand for almost four years, prosecutor “mentally deficient” during his Engin called the court’s attention to Article 5 of defense statement. Baransu’s lawyer Yahya the European Convention on Human Rights, Engin reminded the court that his client was in which is about the right to liberty and security. pre-trial detention as part of another ongoing Adding that the relevant law stipulated a case and therefore there were no legal grounds maximum five years of pretrial detention, Engin necessitating the continuation of his detention. requested that his client be released pending He asked the court to release Baransu pending trial. Engin also asked the court to reject the trial. The court ruled for the continuation of plaintiffs’ requests for becoming intervening Baransu’s detention while also ruling to separate parties in the trial. Announcing its interim ruling the file against Baransu concerning the charge of at the end of the two-day hearing, the court “membership in a terrorist group” to be sent to ruled to keep Baransu in pretrial detention and the 2nd High Criminal Court of Mersin, where adjourned the trial until 3-4 January 2019 to another case against the journalist is still under allow additional time for the defense. The court way. The court also ruled to hear Esra Konur, later rescheduled the trial, setting 4 February Baransu’s ex-wife, as a witness, and to wait for 2019 as the date for the next hearing. Baransu the execution of the arrest warrant against was expected to continue with his defense Tuncay Opçin, the fifth defendant in the case. statement during the hearing on 4 February but The court set 27-28-29 August 2019 as the dates he was unable to attend due to health issues. for the next hearing. The trial resumed on 27 Issuing an interim ruling at the end of the August 2019. Baransu, who was brought to the hearing, the court ruled to keep Baransu behind courtroom from the Silivri Prison accompanied bars and set 22 and 25 March 2019 as the dates by gendarmerie, continued presenting his for the next hearing in the case. Baransu defense statement on the first day of the continued presenting his defense statement at hearing. The hearing scheduled for 28 August did the next hearing, held over two days on 22 and not take place because the court failed to send a 25 March 2019. Before beginning his defense summons to the Silivri Prison for Baransu to be statement, Baransu remarked on the numerous brought to the courthouse. Baransu continued times the panel overseeing the case had changed making his defense statement on the third day of throughout the trial. In its interim ruling at the the hearing on 29 August. In its interim ruling at end of the two-day hearing, the court ruled to the end of that hearing, the court ordered the keep Baransu in pre-trial detention and set 10 continuation of Baransu’s detention on remand and 11 July 2019 as the dates for the next on the grounds of “the nature and type of the hearing. The court later announced that the next alleged crime” and because he “has still not hearing would take place on 11 and 12 July 2019 completed his defense statement.” The court set instead of the originally planned date. The 13th 10-11-12 December 2019 as the dates for the High Criminal Court of Istanbul continued next hearing. hearing Baransu’s defense statement at the 18th “2014 MGK headline” trial hearing of this trial held over two days on 11 and 12 July 2019. After the completion of defense

101

Baransu is also on trial along with former been appointed to the case and he requested responsible managing editor of Taraf, Murat the case file to be sent to the Chief Public Şevki Çoban, over a news report that was Prosecutor’s Office for changes to be made in published in Taraf on 28 November 2013, titled the final opinion. Karğın requested the trial to be “Gülen’i Bitirme Kararı 2004’te MGK’da Alındı” finalized in accordance with the final opinion (Decision to finish off Gülen was taken by MGK submitted back in 2016. Baransu told the court in 2004). In the news piece, Baransu wrote about that he was tried and acquitted on the same the Fethullah Gülen network being listed as a charge before and he requested the case to be threat in a National Security Council (MGK) rejected. Addressing the court after Baransu, meeting that took place in 2004. Both journalists Çoban’s lawyer Çalıkuşu said that her client face up to 52 years in prison for a variety of cannot be held responsible for the article charges as part of the case, including “divulging because the byline was clearly stated in the state secrets” and “exposing documents of the report and the indictment was submitted after National Intelligence Agency (MİT).” The 15th the expiry of the four-month statute of hearing of this trial took place on 27 June 2018 limitations for pressing charges. Çalıkuşu at Anadolu 10th High Criminal Court of Istanbul. informed the panel that Çoban’s final defense Addressing the court during the hearing, Baransu statement would be presented at a later time. requested that the court send a writ to the The court decided to send the case file to the General Staff asking for some documents to refer prosecution for the preparation of the final to in his defense statement. The court rejected opinion and adjourned the trial until 24 the request. Since Baransu’s previous lawyer had September 2019. The 20th hearing of this trial just resigned, his recently appointed lawyer took place on 24 September 2019. Baransu did requested additional time to review the case. not attend the hearing and was represented by The court accepted the lawyer’s request and his lawyer, Yahya Engin. The prosecutor, who adjourned the trial until 17 October 2018. At the was expected to submit his final opinion of the 17th hearing held on 12 December 2018, neither case during this hearing, instead requested the Çoban, who had already given his statement, nor court to issue a decision of non-jurisdiction and Baransu, who submitted a letter to be excused send the case file to the Anadolu 2nd High due to health concerns, were in attendance. Criminal Court on the grounds that the alleged Accepting Baransu’s excuse, the court adjourned offense was committed through the press. the trial until 6 March 2019. At the 18th hearing Baransu’s lawyer requested a continuance held on 6 March 2019, Baransu and his lawyer because his client was not in attendance. both submitted letters of excuse. Granting Accepting the request, the court adjourned the additional time for Baransu and his lawyer to trial until 24 October 2019. prepare his defense statement, the court “Football match fixing” trial adjourned the case until 19 June 2019. The 19th hearing took place on 19 June 2019. Baransu was Mehmet Baransu also faces charges in a “match brought to the courtroom in handcuffs by the fixing” trial, heard by the 23rd High Criminal gendarmerie from Silivri Prison. In attendance Court of Istanbul. In addition to Baransu, who were Baransu’s lawyer Yahya Engin, Çoban’s reported on match fixing claims and findings, the lawyer Figen Albuga Çalıkuşu and the lawyer former chairman of the now-closed Samanyolu representing MİT and the National Security Broadcasting Group Hidayet Karaca and the Council, Serhat Karğın. The hearing took off with former editor-in-chief of the now-closed Zaman the prosecutor informing that he has recently newspaper, Ekrem Dumanlı, are being tried over

102 allegedly “conspiring with FETÖ to influence the month prison sentence on separate charges of outcome of matches.” The defendants in the insulting President Erdoğan in a series of tweets. case are facing terms of imprisonment ranging Further charges were added to the growing list from eight to 85 years in jail for alleged of pending cases against Baransu in late 2016, “deprivation of liberty,” “violation of including “founding and leading an armed communicational secrecy,” “violating secrecy of terrorist organisation”, “making propaganda for private life,” “counterfeiting official documents,” [a terrorist] organisation”, “exposing “violation of privacy,” “using other’s identity information that is to be kept secret for the card or ID information,” “perjury” and safety and political benefit of the state”, “establishing and leading an armed terrorist “obtaining secret documents concerning the organization.” Baransu is also jailed pending trial safety of the state” and “damaging, using as part of a separate case concerning his outside of its purpose, [and] obtaining [or] reporting in 2013 on an alleged customs fraud stealing … documents concerning the safety of involving genetically modified rice. The the state.” indictment accuses Baransu of “attempting to PRISON SENTENCE: N/A overthrow the government” and “membership in a terrorist organization.” This case is overseen LEGISLATION USED: N/A by the Mersin 2nd High Criminal Court. Baransu is still in detention on remand in the Silivri Prison CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested in Istanbul, facing nearly a thousand years CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, behind bars as part of dozens of different cases. İstanbul

Source 2: International Press Institute (IPI) CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

Mehmet Baransu, a reporter for the daily Taraf, HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A was ordered imprisoned pending trial on March 2, 2015 on charges of obtaining secret SOURCES: documents. Evidence used to support the For more information in English: charges centered on a packet of documents he received from an anonymous source and which https://cpj.org/data/people/mehmet-baransu/ he shared with prosecutors in 2010 after Taraf For more information in Turkish: broke the news of an alleged coup plot in a series of articles. In June 2015, Baransu was given a 10- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/mehmet- baransu-2/

103

MEHMET GÜLEŞ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A organization.” Güleş’s lawyer appealed that verdict at the 4th Criminal Chamber of the GENDER: Male Gaziantep Regional Court of Justice, an appellate PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for court, which rejected the appeal. Dicle News Agency Source 2: Bianet (4 October, 2018) DATE of ARREST: 7 December, 2016 Prison Sentence of Journalist Güleş Upheld DETAILS of ARREST: The 16th Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) of Appeals has upheld the prison sentence of 9 years, 4 months and 15 days given to journalist Mehmet Güleş, a reporter of now-closed Dicle Mehmet Güleş, who was a reporter at Dicle News Agency, was arrested on Dec. 7, 2016 while News Agency, which was closed as per a reporting from a courthouse in Elazığ province, Statutory Decree. The 16th Penal Chamber of due to alleged “membership in a terrorist the Supreme Court of Appeals has upheld the organisation” and “making propaganda for a prison sentence of 9 years, 4 months and 15 days terrorist organisation”. Prosecutors cited his that was given to journalist Mehmet Güleş, who phone calls and posts on social media as was working as a reporter at the Dicle News evidence. A court on May 3, 2017 convicted him Agency (DİHA), which was closed as per a and sentenced him to nine years, four months Statutory Decree. In his hearing held on May 3, and 15 days in prison. He is currently imprisoned 2018, the court ruled that Güleş shall be in the Elazığ E-type prison. sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison on DETAILS of TRIAL: charge of "being member of a terrorist organization" and be sentenced to 3 years, 1 Source 1: Expression Interrupted month and 15 days in prison on charge of Supreme Court of Appeals upholds sentence for "propagandizing for a terrorist organization". Mehmet Güleş; Appellate court rejects appeals Güleş was sentenced to 9 years, 4 months and 15 in Altans case; Saudi journalist goes missing in days in prison in total. Upon the verdict of the Turkey. The 16th Criminal Chamber of the local court, Güleş's attorney Resul Tamur Supreme Court of Appeals upheld a prison submitted a request of appeal to the 4th Penal sentence rendered in May for jailed journalist Chamber of the Antep Regional Court of Justice. Mehmet Güleş, a former reporter for Dicle news However, the court rejected the request and agency (DİHA), which had been closed down upheld the verdict. After his request was through an emergency decree. The 2nd High rejected, attorney Tamur applied to the Criminal Court of Elazığ had convicted Güleş of Supreme Court of Appeals, requesting that the terrorism related charges, handing down the verdicts of the local and regional courts be journalist a total of 9 years, 4 months and 15 appealed. Evaluating the application of Tamur, days in prison. Güleş was given 6 years and 3 the 16th Penal Chamber of the Supreme Court of months for “membership in a terrorist group” Appeals has upheld the prison sentence of 9 and 3 years, 1 month and 15 days for years, 4 months and 15 days previously given to “conducting propaganda for a terrorist

104

Mehmet Güleş. Attorney Tamur stated that they commissary. Güleş also wrote that 30 inmates in would appeal to the Constitutional Court. the prison were being kept in solitary confinement against their wishes, and one of PRISON SENTENCE: 9 years and 4 months and 15 those inmates was suffering from COPD. days HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A LEGISLATION USED: Anti-terror law 7/2 SOURCES: CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted For more information in English: CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Elazığ E-type prison. https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- in-state-of-emergency-32/ CONDITIONS of DETENTION: https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- Source 1: Expression Interrupted in-state-of-emergency-54/ Mehmet Güleş: Prison management confiscates For more information in Turkish: books, letters in Kurdish https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/dihaber- Imprisoned journalist Mehmet Güleş wrote muhabiri-mehmet-gulese-orgut-uyeliginden-ve- about rights violations he and other inmates orgut-propagandasindan-toplamda-9-yil-4-ay- have been facing in a recent letter he sent from 15-gun-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ the Elazığ Maximum Security Prison. A former reporter for the now closed-down Dicle news https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/turkiyede agency (Dihaber), Güleş has been imprisoned -basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu-176/ since December 2016. Güleş wrote in the letter https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/turkiyede that the prison management has been refusing -basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu-171/ to give books and letters in Kurdish language to the inmates, the Mezopotamya news agency https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust reported. Güleş wrote that the inmates were u-halde-gazeteciler-101/ only allowed to get Kurdish dictionaries and Kurdish grammar books, but letters written in https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust Kurdish were not allowed to be sent or received. u-halde-gazeteciler-72/ Güleş also said that they were not being given https://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- cleaning products. Mirrors or tweezers for ozgurlugu/201370-gazeteci-gules-e-verilen- personal hygiene are also banned, Güleş wrote, ceza-onandi adding that packages sent to inmates were only delivered after three weeks. He added that For more information in Kurdish: underwear and socks that are sent to prison by http://bianet.org/kurdi/mafen- inmates’ relatives were not handed to inmates, mirovan/201384-dadgeha-bilind-9-sal-cezaye- forcing them to purchase such items at the girtine-ji-bo-gulese-rojnameger-pesend-kiriye

105

MEHMET KURU

DATE of BIRTH: N/A dozens of former Zaman journalists with arrest and prosecution on terrorism charges since the GENDER: Male failed July 2016 coup based on their past PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for affiliation with the newspaper. The government Zaman newspaper used emergency powers it assumed after that coup attempt to order the newspaper closed by DATE of ARREST: 16 August, 2016 decree on July 27, 2016, CPJ reported at the DETAILS of ARREST: time.

Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Source 2: Expression Interrupted

Mehmet Kuru, a reporter for the now-closed Former Zaman journalist convicted Zaman newspaper, was ordered imprisoned Mehmet Kuru was given six years and three pending trial on Aug. 16, 2016 as part of a purge months in prison by an Eskişehir court in a of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.-based cleric session heard on October 17. Kuru was being Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government tried on terror charges for having worked at the accuses of having established a “parallel state shuttered Zaman daily, but he was not structure” and who it blames for the failed July imprisoned. In his defense statement, he said: 15, 2016 coup attempt. He and others at the “Zaman was where I won my bread. I am not the newspaper were accused of “propagandising for member of a terrorist organization.” a terrorist organisation”. PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years and 3 months DETAILS of TRIAL: LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Police in the central Turkish province of Eskişehir detained Mehmet Kuru, a former reporter for CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A the shuttered daily newspaper Zaman, on CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A August 6, 2016, as part of a sweeping purge of suspected followers of exiled preacher Fethullah HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Gülen. The government accuses Gülen of SOURCES: maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel state structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the For more information in English: government calls it) within Turkey that it blames for orchestrating a failed military coup on July For more information in Turkish: 15, 2016, according to press reports. The reports https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- did not specify what charges Kuru faces, but a gazetesi-muhabiri-mehmet-kuru-orgut- court in March 2016 ordered Zaman's parent uyeliginden-6-yil-3-ay-hapse-mahkum-edildi/ company put under trustees selected by the government, saying the company and the http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/feto-sanigi- newspaper had ties to the Gülenist network. CPJ gazeteciye-6-yil-3-ay-hapis-cezasi-40613921 research shows that authorities have targeted

106

MELİKE AYDIN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A November. After giving their statements to a prosecutor, they were referred to the 1st GENDER: Female Criminal Judgeship of Peace, which ruled to jail PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for both journalists pending trial in the early hours JinNews of 16 November. Both Demir and Aydın were sent to the Izmir Aliağa Şakran Women’s Prison. DATE of ARREST: 16 November 2019 In addition to Demir and Aydın, the court jailed DETAILS of ARREST: N/A nine other people arrested as part of the investigation while it ruled to release one of the DETAILS of TRIAL: suspects under an international travel ban.

Source 1: Expression Interrupted PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

Journalists Ruken Demir and Melike Aydın jailed LEGISLATION USED: N/A pending trial; Ahmet Altan re-arrested 8 days after his release; prosecutor objects to Kibriye CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Evren’s release pending trial; 119 journalists and CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: İzmir Aliağa media workers currently behind bars in Turkey. Şakran Women Prison Mezopotamya news agency (MA) Izmir reporter Ruken Demir, Jin News reporter Melike Aydın CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A and 10 other people, including executives from HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A the Association for Solidarity with Families of Prisoners (TUHAY-DER) were arrested in Izmir on SOURCES: 12 November 2019 as part of an investigation by For more information in Turkish: the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. The detainees were not allowed to see their lawyers http://platform24.org/guncel/4077/turkiye-de- for 24 hours. Demir and Aydın, who were basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu---233 arrested for “acting on behalf of a terrorist organization,” were questioned about the phone http://bianet.org/bianet/print/215922- calls they had with their news sources and the gazeteciler-ruken-demir-ve-melike-aydin- content of their news stories. Demir and Aydın tutuklandi were brought to the İzmir Courthouse on 15

107

METİN ARSLAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: N/A

GENDER: Male CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: N/A CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

DATE of ARREST: N/A HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A SOURCES:

DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A For more information in English:

PRISON SENTENCE: N/A For information in Turkish:

LEGISLATION USED: N/A For information in Kurdish:

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MİKAİL BARUT

DATE of BIRTH: N/A CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

GENDER: Males HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: SOURCES:

DATE of ARREST: 2011 For more information in English:

DETAILS of ARREST: For more information in Turkish:

DETAILS of TRIAL: http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- ozgurlugu/172882-mikail-barut-2011-den-beri- PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 5 months cezaevindeyim LEGISLATION USED: https://www.mlsaturkey.com/tr/kck-basin- CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested davasi-subata-ertelendi/

CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION:

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MİKTAT ALGÜL

DATE of BIRTH: N/A a report from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Algül faced more than GENDER: Male 15 years in prison upon conviction. In a special PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Print/broadcast supplement titled “Arrested Newspaper,” coordinator for Mezitli FM written by jailed journalists and distributed by several dailies in July 2011, Algül said he had DATE of ARREST: 17 May, 2010 been targeted because of his recent reporting on DETAILS of ARREST: N/A the Fethullah Gülen religious community. Algül said the government’s indictment had DETAILS of TRIAL: misrepresented as extortion his efforts to collect Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) advertising fees from local companies and his reporting on an automobile company. Miktat Algül, print/broadcast coordinator for Mezitli FM, was arrested in 2010. He was PRISON SENTENCE: N/A convicted in a case targeting right-wing groups LEGISLATION USED: N/A and sentenced to 65 years in prison. CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Sincan F Type Algül, editor of the Mersin radio station Mezitli Closed Prison, Ankara FM and a writer for the local newspaper Ulus, was being held at Adana Kürkçüler F Type Prison CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A on charges of extortion, threatening, and HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A establishing a criminal organization, according to

110

MUHAMMED SAİT KULOĞLU

DATE of BIRTH: N/A within Turkey that it alleges masterminded a failed July 15, 2016, military coup. CPJ was GENDER: Male unable to find details of the lawyer representing PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Concession- Kuloğlu or to determine the precise date that he holder of Subuhaber.com news site was first detained. Kuloğlu is on trial with several co-accused. In the original indictment, all but DATE of ARREST: 23 July, 2016 one of them were charged with “being a DETAILS of ARREST: N/A member of an armed [terrorist] organization,” which carries up to 10 years in prison, according DETAILS of TRIAL: to news reports. The indictment accused the Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) defendants of manipulating public perception of FETÖ to turn people against the government, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, concession-holder of which, prosecutors argued, made them Subuhaber.com news site, was arrested on July members of the group. CPJ found the indictment 23, 2016 over charges of “membership of a to be similar to those presented at trials of other terrorist organisation” as part of the government journalists in Turkey. Prosecutors cited as purge of individuals accused of spreading evidence journalistic activity or acts of free propaganda for the outlawed movement headed speech and communication, or cited by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who circumstantial evidence such as being employed Turkey’s government accuses of having by a certain media outlet or having an account at established a “parallel state structure” and who a bank allegedly linked to Gülenists. In Kuloğlu’s it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 coup case, prosecutors cited as evidence the attempt. Kuloğlu is being prosecuted in a “media journalist’s interview that he published in branch” case involving the Gülen movement Subuhaber with an anonymous pro-Gülen with many others. He is also being prosecuted in whistleblower known as Fuat Avni (@fuatavni), relation to a twitter account called “Fuat Avni” who used Twitter to share his leaks, as well as which had been anonymously posting political reports about the whistleblower’s tweets. When speculations about the government. He has the trial started in March 2017, an Istanbul court been in pretrial detention for over 18 months, ordered Kuloğlu and several of the other facing charges of 7.5 years imprisonment. journalists to be released while the case was heard, according to news reports. Prosecutors Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) successfully appealed the decision, and A court on July 24, 2016, ordered Kuloğlu, the authorities ordered an investigation into the founder and publisher of news website judges who had ordered the release and they Subuhaber, to be held in pretrial detention, were relieved of duty, according to the reports. according to news reports. His arrest was part of An Istanbul court on March 8, 2018, found a sweeping purge of suspected followers of Kuloğlu and at least 21 of the other journalists on exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen. The Turkish trial guilty of "being a member of a [terrorist] government accuses Gülen of maintaining a organization,” and sentenced Kuloğlu to seven terrorist organization and "parallel state years and six months in prison, according to structure" (FETÖ/PDY, as the government calls it) reports. The court acquitted all the defendants

111 of the more serious coup-related charges in the Yıldız on charges of “membership in an armed second indictment. At least 18 of the journalists terrorist organization. were sent to prison for varying prison terms. Two Source 4: Expression Interrupted of them—Atilla Taş and Murat Aksoy—were sentenced and released for time served, and the Court accepts indictment into journalists journalists Bünyamin Köseli and Cihan Acar arrested in coup probe remain free pending the appeal, according to reports. Lawyers for the journalists told CPJ they On Feb. 13, an indictment against 28 journalists are appealing the verdict. As of late 2018, the who were arrested in the probe into the July 15 local appeal process was ongoing. As of late coup attempt was accepted. The prosecutor has 2018, Kuloğlu was detained in Silivri Prison, demanded between 7.5 to 15 years for 28 Istanbul. Kuloğlu did not appear on the 2016 journalists on charges of membership in a prison census because CPJ identified Kuloğlu as a terrorist organization. The accused journalists journalist only after the indictment against him are Abdullah Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Atilla and his co-accused became public in 2017. Taş, Bayram Kaya, Bülent Ceyhan, Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan Acar, Cuma Source 3: Expression Interrupted Ulus, Davut Aydın, Emre Soncan, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habib Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, Indictment against 28 journalists submitted to Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Muhammed court Sait Kuloğlu, Muhterem Tanık, Murat Aksoy, The Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office on Jan. 18 Mustafa Erkan Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, Oğuz completed an indictment against 29 journalists, Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup most of whom arrested as part of the post-coup Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız. The journalists are investigation. The prosecutor seeks between 10 scheduled to appear in court on various dates – 15 years in prison for the 28 suspects on between March 27 – 31. charges of attempting to overthrow the state or Source 5: Expression Interrupted terrorism. The prosecutor has asked for life without the possibility of parole for Said Sefa, the No release in “FETÖ media” trial former editor in-chief of the news website Haberdar. The prosecutor asked for up to 10 On December 3-4, the Istanbul 25th High years for Atilla Taş, a singer-turned-Twitter Criminal Court continued hearing the trial of 29 phenomenon who’d started writing in the journalists, including Murat Aksoy and former shuttered Meydan daily prior to the coup. The Meydan newspaper columnist Atilla Taş in a case prosecutor wants between five to ten yars for where the defendants stand accused of having the other journalists, who are Abdullah Kılıç, acted as the media arm of the “Fethullahist Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Atilla Taş, Bayram Kaya, Terror Organization,” or “FETÖ”, the name given Bülent Ceyhan, Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi by Turkish authorities to the Islamist network led Kalyoncu, Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Davut Aydın, by Fethullah Gülen which Turkey says was Emre Soncan, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habib behind the coup d’état attempt of July 15, 2016. Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, Hanım Büşra Erdal, Not a single one of the 20 journalists who are Hüseyin Aydın, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, imprisoned in the case was released in the trial. Muhterem Tanık, Murat Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan P24 monitored the trial inside the courtroom. Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, The trial was adjourned until February 6. Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin

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The latest hearing lasted two days. Six witnesses Twenty-nine journalists, including former T24 for the prosecution testified, responding to columnist Murat Aksoy and former singer and questions about Bünyamin Köseli, a journalist newspaper columnist Atilla Taş, are standing trial who was released in the previous trial, Sait Sefa on “membership in a terrorist organization” in — who has at large status — and the imprisoned the case. Nineteen of the defendants are in journalists Bayram Kaya, Ahmet Memiş and pretrial detention. Final defense statements of Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu. A witness said eight defendants, Abdullah Kılıç, Ali Akkuş, Atilla Bünyamin Köseli, who formerly worked for the Taş, Bünyamin Köseli, Bayram Kaya, Ahmet shuttered Aksiyon newsweekly, had collected Memiş, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu and Davut money for the Gülen network. However, the Aydın, who gave his statement via his lawyer, same witness said he only had heard such were heard on February 22, during the first rumors and had no first-hand information on session of the hearing, monitored in the that claim. Another witness said Zaman reporter courtroom by P24. The court ruled at the end of Bayram Kaya attended chat meetings organized Thursday’s hearing that imprisoned defendant by supporters of Fethullah Gülen in 2006. Emre Soncan’s file is separated from this case to However, Kaya said he was in London in 2005 be merged with a newly initiated case against and 2006. Another witness, who connected via him. The hearing will continue with the second videoconferencing to the courtroom, said he session on February 23. didn’t have enough information, in response to a Source 7: Expression Interrupted question on whether defendant Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu was related to the Gülen network. 12 other defendants were given a prison Former employees of the Haberdar news sentence of 7 years and 6 months on charges of website — founded by Sait Sefa, who is believed “membership in an armed organization”. The to be abroad — also testified about Sait Sefa and court said in its verdict that their actions and Haberdar employee Ahmet Memiş. The intent required a higher sentence than the lower witnesses said they had no information about limit set by law for the crime. Those 12 any “FETÖ” links the website might have had. defendants are: Ahmet Memiş (former news Defendants Seyit Kılıç and Ufuk Şanlı objected to coordinator for the online news website reports showing their call history, pointing out to Haberdar.com), Ali Akkuş (former news director many discrepancies in the records. The two for daily Zaman), Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu journalists are accused of having used an (founder of the online news website Şubuhaber), encrypted messaging application that Mustafa Erkan Acar (news director for daily authorities say was used exclusively by members Bugün), Mutlu Çölgeçen (former Ankara bureau of the Gülen network. İbrahim Balta, a finance news director for daily Sabah), Oğuz Usluer reporter for the shuttered Zaman daily, asked for (former coordinator of Habertürk TV), Seyid Kılıç his release citing health reasons. (former reporter for public broadcaster TRT haber), Ufuk Şanlı (former economy director and Source 6: Expression Interrupted al-Monitor writer Ufuk ŞAnlı), Ünal Tanık Final defense statements begin in “FETÖ (founder of the shuttered online news website media” trial Rotahaber), Yetkin Yıldız (editor for the online news website Aktif Haber), Cuma Ulus (former The 25th High Criminal Court of Istanbul on news director for Habertürk TV) and Davut February 22, 2018, started hearing the final Aydın, educator and one of the two defendants defense statements at the latest hearing of the in this case who are not journalists. case publicly known as the “FETÖ media trial.”

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Source 8: Expression Interrupted Mustafa Erkan Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup An appellate court in Istanbul overseeing the Çetin, Yetkin Yıldız and school teacher Davut appeal requests in the case publicly known as the Aydın) were convicted of “membership in an “FETÖ media trial” rejected the appeals against armed terrorist organization” and sentenced to prison terms given to 25 defendants on prison terms of various lengths. “terrorism” charges. The 2nd Criminal Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months rendered its decision on 22 October. The court LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 made the ruling without a public hearing despite the defense lawyers’ requests for a hearing. The CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested appellate court also ruled for the continuation of detention of all jailed defendants in the case. At CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A the end of the trial’s final hearing in March, the CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A 25th High Criminal Court of Istanbul had convicted 25 of the 26 defendants in the case. HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Twenty-three of the defendants (journalists SOURCES: Abdullah Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, Ali Akkuş, Bayram Kaya, Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, For more information in Turkish: Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- Habip Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, Hanım Büşra muhammet-sait-kulogluna-orgut-uyeliginden-7- Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, yil-6-ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/

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MUHSİN PİLGİR

DATE of BIRTH: N/A allegedly used the Bylock app, according to press reports. Authorities allege that use of the GENDER: Male encrypted messaging app is proof of FETÖ/PDY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for membership. Turkey issued arrest warrants for Zaman and the Cihan News Agency 35 journalists and media workers. Of those, nine were ordered to be jailed pending trial and as of DATE of ARREST: 16 August 2017 late 2017, two were released under house DETAILS of ARREST: N/A arrest, according to news reports. A December 5, 2017 report from the pro-government daily DETAILS of TRIAL: Sabah said an indictment for Pilgir accused the Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) journalist of using the Bylock app. In late 2018, CPJ was unable to find details of a lawyer who Muhsin Pilgir, a former reporter for the could provide further information on the case, or shuttered outlets Zaman and the Cihan News to review a copy of the indictment. Agency, was ordered arrested on Aug. 16, 2017 on accusations of links to U.S.-based cleric Source 3: Expression Interrupted Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government Nine of the 35 journalists were taken into police accuses of having established a “parallel state custody in the morning of August 10. Those who structure” and who it blames for the failed July were detained are BirGün newspaper’s internet 15, 2016 coup attempt. Pilgir was detained for editor Burak Ekici, shuttered Zaman daily’s and allegedly having used the mobile phone Cihan News Agency reporter Muhsin Pilgir, İhlas encryption application Bylock, which Turkish news agency investigations chief editor Ömer prosecutors consider to be evidence of Faruk Aydemir, Cüneyt Seza Özkan who worked membership in the Gülen movement. as a news editor at the shuttered Samanyolu Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Haber news station, former Türkiye newspaper columnist Ahmet Sağılrı, Yusuf Duran, Ahmet Istanbul police on August 10, 2017, detained Feyzullah Özyurt, Sait Gürkan Tuzlu and Mutlu Muhsin Pilgir, a former reporter for the Özay. shuttered outlets Zaman and the Cihan News Agency, according to news reports. Pilgir was https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- one of 35 journalists and media workers whose in-state-of-emergency-85/ arrest a Turkish court mandated the week before https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- as part of a sweeping purge of suspected in-state-of-emergency-102/ followers of exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, according to reports. The Turkish government PRISON SENTENCE: N/A accuses Gülen of maintaining a terrorist LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 organization and "parallel state structure" (FETÖ/PDY, as the government calls it) within CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Turkey and alleges that it masterminded a failed CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A July 2016 military coup. Pilgir’s arrest is part of an investigation into journalists and others who CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

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HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A muhsin-pilgir-bylock-kullandigi-iddiasiyla-feto- uyeliginden-yargilaniyor/ SOURCES: https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust For more information in Turkish: u-halde-gazeteciler-99/ https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/kapatilan- zaman-gazetesi-ve-cihan-haber-ajansi-muhabiri-

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MURAT ÇAPAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A September and November 2015; one featuring a doctored photo of President Recep Tayyip GENDER: Males Erdoğan taking a selfie at a soldier’s funeral, and PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Managing editor another predicting a possible civil war in Turkey. of Nokta Magazine Source 3: Expression Interrupted DATE of ARREST: 24 May 2017 Murat Çapan, the former responsible managing DETAILS of ARREST: N/A editor of the shuttered Nokta magazine who was arrested near the border with Greece, was DETAILS of TRIAL: imprisoned on May 26. Anadolu news agency Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) reported that Çapan was arrested and taken into custody on May 24 along with four others while Murat Çapan, managing editor of Nokta trying to “illegally” cross into Greece by land in Magazine, has been held behind bars since May the Uzunköprü district of Edirne province. On 24, 2017 when he was detained while "illegally" May 22, Çapan and the editor-in-chief of Nokta, trying to leave Turkey for Greece. The detention Cevheri Güven, had been each given a 22-and-a- came two days after a court sentenced him to half-year sentence by Istanbul 14th High 22-and-a-half years in prison for allegedly Criminal Court on charges of “inciting an armed inciting the armed overthrow of the government rebellion against the government.” over a Nokta article that warned of civil war following the November 2016 parliamentary PRISON SENTENCE: 22-and-a-half years election. Çapan reportedly was detained while CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested trying to leave Turkey for Greece. CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Kandıra 1 nolu Source 2: Expression Interrupted T type prison

On May 22, former editor-in-chief of the CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A shuttered Nokta magazine, Cevheri Güven, and its responsible managing editor Murat Çapan HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A were each sentenced to 22 years and six months SOURCES: in prison for “inciting an armed rebellion against the Government of the Republic of Turkey” in For more information in Turkish: connection with two covers of the magazine https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/nokta- published in the autumn of 2015. The Istanbul dergisi-yoneticisi-murat-capana-halki-turkiye- 14th High Criminal Court acquitted Güven and cumhuriyeti-hukumetine-karsi-silahli-isyana- Çapan of another charge — “terror tahrikten-22-yil-6-ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/; propaganda.” The court also ruled to issue an https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust arrest warrant for the two journalists, who were u-halde-gazeteciler-77/; earlier released pending trial in this case but are https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust wanted in connection with other ones. The u-halde-gazeteciler-78/ charges against Güven and Çapan stem from two controversial covers of Nokta published in

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MURAT DAĞDEVİREN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A attempt, local reports said. A Kocaeli Court on July 29, 2016, ordered that he be detained GENDER: Male pending trial on suspicion of being a member of PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Owner of the FETÖ. Dağdeviren did not appear on the 2016 Demokrat Gebze newspaper prison census because CPJ was unable to contact his lawyer at the time to determine if the arrest DATE of ARREST: 31 July 2016 was linked to journalism. Dağdeviren’s DETAILS of TRIAL: newspaper was raided by the police on July 28, 2016, for allegedly being connected to FETÖ, Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists according to local reports. The Turkish A court in the western Turkish province of government closed 178 broadcasters, websites, Kocaeli convicted Murat Dağdeviren, the and newspapers, including Demokrat Gebze, publisher, chief editor, and columnist for between July 20 and December 31, 2016, shuttered local newspaper Demokrat Gebze, of according to Bianet. The government sold the “being a member of a [terrorist] organization,” newspaper’s assets for an opening bid of 75,425 according to local press reports. The court on Turkish lira (US$22,131), the online newspaper October 10, 2017, sentenced Dağdeviren to Gazete Duvar reported in September 2017. seven years and six months in prison, the reports Dağdeviren was being held in Kandıra prison in said. The journalist’s lawyer, Yüksel Genç, told Kocaeli. As of late 2018, the Supreme Court had CPJ in October 2017 that Turkey’s National not heard his appeal, Dağdeviren’s lawyer told Intelligence Agency (MIT) handed the court a CPJ. The lawyer said that they took the case to report that alleged that his client had the Bylock the European Court of Human Rights in 2018, but app on his phone. Bylock is an encrypted it had not yet been heard. Dağdeviren has no messaging application that Turkish authorities physical health problems but he has depression claim is evidence of membership in the Fethullah due to the injustice of his case, the lawyer said. Gülen Terrorist Organization--a charge that PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, the lawyer said. The Turkish government LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 claims Gülen’s group, which it calls FETÖ/PDY, CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested was behind a failed coup attempt in July 2016. Genç said that he told the court that Dağdeviren CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A did not use the app, but the court rejected his CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A denial. Prosecutors presented as evidence against Dağdeviren his published work, the SOURCES: lawyer said. The court found Dağdeviren not For more information in Turkish: guilty of a second charge of financing terrorism, according to the reports. Police first detained https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/demokrat- Dağdeviren on June 1, 2016, on suspicion of gebze-gazetesi-yazi-isleri-muduru-murat- FETÖ/PDY membership, according to news dagdevirene-orgut-uyeliginden-7-yil-6-ay-hapis- reports. He was released but police detained him cezasi-verildi/ again on July 24, 2016, after the failed coup

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MUSTAFA ERKAN ACAR

DATE of BIRTH: N/A exception of Akkuş, who was freed after having been imprisoned since July 30, 2016 – remained GENDER: Male behind bars and the judges who made the order PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: News manager were suspended. Prosecutors later brought new for Bugün newspaper charges against 13 of the journalists on charges of trying to overthrow the government and the DATE of ARREST: 30 July 2016 constitutional order. Those facing the new DETAILS of ARREST: N/A charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah DETAILS of TRIAL: Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız.

Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Mustafa Erkan Acar, a news manager for Bugün, Police in Istanbul detained Mustafa Erkan Acar, a was ordered arrested on July 30, 2016 as part of former editor for the shuttered newspaper a purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.- Zaman, as part of a sweeping purge of journalists based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s and others suspected of following exiled government accuses of having established a preacher Fethullah Gülen, according to press “parallel state structure” and who it blames for reports. The government accuses Gülen of the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Acar is one maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel of 29 journalists charged in a case accusing them state structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the of having been part of the Gülen movement’s government calls it) within Turkey that it blames “media wing”. They face up to 10 years in prison for orchestrating a failed July 15, 2016, military if convicted. As of May 2, 2017, other journalists coup. CPJ could not determine exactly when imprisoned in connection with the case include police detained Acar. The state-run Anadolu Abdullah Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, Atilla Taş, Bayram News Agency on July 25, 2016, reported that Kaya, Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, authorities had issued a warrant for his arrest. Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Emre Soncan, Gökçe Istanbul's Fifth Court of Penal Peace late on July Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habib Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, 29, 2016, arraigned Acar and 16 other Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat Aksoy, journalists, ordering them jailed pending trial on Mutlu Çölgeçen, Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Ufuk charges of "being members of an armed terrorist Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin Yıldız. organization," according to the media Six other journalists face charges in the case, monitoring group P24. The daily newspaper including Ali Akkuş, Bülent Ceyhan, Davut Aydın, Hürriyet reported that the 17 journalists were Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, Muhterem Tanık and questioned by prosecutors on accusations of Said Sefa, the latter of whom reportedly had fled "being members of an armed terrorist the country. On March 31, 2017 a court in Turkey organization," "founding or leading an armed ordered 21 of the imprisoned defendants terrorist organization," "knowingly and willingly released conditionally, but prosecutors helping [a terrorist] organization without being successfully objected to the release of eight of involved in the organization's hierarchical them and the release order for the other 13 was structure," and "committing crimes in the name blocked hours later. The defendants – with the of a [terrorist] organization without being a

119 member." In March 2016, a court ordered Turkey alleges is behind the failed attempted Zaman's parent company, the Feza Media coup. The second indictment, which was Group, put under government trustees, saying presented as an addition to the original case, the company and the newspaper had ties to the argued that the journalists should be held Gülenist network. On July 27, 2016, the responsible for more than alleged membership government used emergency powers to close to the group. Prosecutors presented as evidence the publication. CPJ research shows that against Acar his employment at the dailies authorities have targeted dozens of former Zaman, Bugün, and Özgür Düşünce, as well as his journalists from media outlets owned by the membership in a non-governmental Feza Media Group with arrest and prosecution organization called the Media Ethics Board. The on terrorism charges since the failed coup second indictment listed as evidence that he and attempt. When the trial started in March 2017, his family had accounts at Bank Asya, which the an Istanbul court ordered Acar and several of the government alleged to be a Gülenist institution; other journalists with whom he was being tried his membership in an allegedly pro-Gülenist to be released while the case was heard. union; and communication records with people However, authorities brought fresh charges and who were wanted or were on trial for alleged the journalists were ordered to remain in Gülenist activity. Some of these people had the custody, according to reports. Authorities Bylock app on their phones, according to the ordered an investigation into the judges who had authorities who recognize the application as ordered the release and they were relieved of evidence of being a FETÖ member. Acar did not duty, according to reports. In the original have the app on his phone, according to the indictment, all but one of the co-accused were indictment. An Istanbul court on March 8, 2018, charged with “being a member of an armed found Acar and at least 21 of the other [terrorist] organization,” which carries up to 10 journalists on trial guilty of "being a member of years in prison. The second indictment listed the a [terrorist] organization,” and sentenced Acar charges as “attempting, through violence and to seven years and six months in prison, force, to disrupt and replace the order as according to reports. The court acquitted all the recognized by Turkey’s Constitution” and defendants of the more serious coup-related “attempting through violence and force to charges in the second indictment. At least 18 of eliminate or prevent Parliament from carrying the journalists were sent to prison for varying out its duties.” Both charges carry a maximum prison terms. Two of them-- Atilla Taş and Murat life sentence without parole. CPJ found both Aksoy—were sentenced and released for time indictments to be similar to those presented at served, and the journalists Bünyamin Köseli and trials of other journalists in Turkey. Prosecutors Cihan Acar remain free pending the appeal, cited as evidence in these cases journalistic according to reports. Lawyers for the journalists activity or acts of free speech and told CPJ they are appealing the verdict. As of late communication, or cited circumstantial evidence 2018, the local appeal process was ongoing. such as being employed by a certain media PRISON SENTENCE: N/A outlet or having an account at a bank allegedly linked to Gülenists. The first indictment accused LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 the defendants of manipulating the public perception of FETÖ to turn citizens against the CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested government, which prosecutors argued, made CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, the journalists members of the group that İstanbul

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CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A acara-orgut-uyeliginden-7-yil-6-ay-hapis-cezasi- verildi/ HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/26- SOURCES: sanikli-medya-davasinda-25-gazeteciye-hapis- For more information in Turkish: cezasi/ https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/turkiyede gazetesi-eski-haber-muduru-mustafa-erkan- -basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu-179/

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MUSTAFA GÖK

DATE of BIRTH: N/A which has led to a loss of sight and balance. She said he was jailed despite having a medical GENDER: Male document that says he has a severe disability PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Ankara bureau and should not be incarcerated. Gök was also chief for Ekmek ve Adalet magazine serving a life term on charges of membership in a terrorist organization, forgery, bombing, and DATE of ARREST: N/A murder, all dating to the early 1990s, according DETAILS of ARREST: N/A to an updated list of charges provided by the Justice Ministry. The life sentence was DETAILS of TRIAL: withdrawn in 2002 when Gök was released on Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) parole for health reasons, Karatana told CPJ. When Gök was rearrested in 2004 on the Mustafa Gök, Ankara bureau chief for Ekmek ve DHKP/C membership charges, the life term was Adalet magazine, was convicted in 2004 over reinstated, she said. She said their appeal against alleged links to the outlawed leftist the reinstated life term was rejected. The Revolutionary People's Liberation Party/Front People's Law Office, a free law clinic in Istanbul (DHKP-C) and sentenced to life in prison. He had that was representing Gök in late 2017, told CPJ been imprisoned before in 1993, but was that the journalist was being held in Tekirdağ released due to poor health. He worked in Emek Prison, in the northwestern province of the same ve Adalet magazine from 2002 to 2004. News name. Authorities have ignored his medical reporting that he produced during that time was needs, a lawyer assigned to his case told CPJ. In reportedly used against him in his case. He is late 2018, the People's Law Office told CPJ that currently imprisoned in the Sincan F-type prison the lawyer who had been representing Gök is in Ankara. now in custody. A new lawyer representing the journalist did not reply to CPJ’s request for Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) updates on the case. A local court sentenced Gök, Ankara PRISON SENTENCE: N/A correspondent for the leftist magazine Ekmek ve Adalet (Bread and Justice), to six years and three LEGISLATION USED: N/A months in prison on charges of being a member of the outlawed Revolutionary People's CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted Salvation Party/Front (DHKP/C), according to his CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Sincan F-type defense lawyer, Evrim Deniz Karatana. Gök's prison in Ankara lawyers appealed the sentence. Karatana told CPJ that the evidence against the journalist CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A consisted of his news coverage and attendance HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A at political demonstrations. She said that Gök had been targeted for his reporting on politics and human rights, along with his beliefs as a socialist. Karatana said her client suffers from Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a brain disorder,

122

MUSTAFA GÖKKILIÇ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A who had been in custody since last week, was jailed pending trial on July 19 by an Istanbul GENDER: Male court. Gökkılıç was taken into custody on July 12 PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for on grounds of an arrest warrant issued by the Radikal and Habertürk newspapers Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. He was among 24 people sought as part of a criminal DATE of ARREST: N/A investigation concerning 2012’s “MİT crisis,” in DETAILS of TRIAL: which the head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and several intelligence Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) officials were summoned to testify in court. An Istanbul court on July 19 arraigned Mustafa Gökkılıç was arrested alongside five other Gökkılıç, a former reporter for the now-closed individuals as part of the investigation. An liberal daily Radikal, on charges of having ties to Istanbul Criminal Judgeship of Peace jailed all six the Gülen movement, which the government pending trial. considers a terrorist organization, according to PRISON SENTENCE: N/A the state news agency Anatolia. According to the agency, Gökkılıç was arraigned with several LEGISLATION USED: N/A former police directors and officers suspected of CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested plotting against the National Intelligence Agency (MİT) in 2012. CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

Source 2: Expression Interrupted CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

Mustafa Gökkılıç, a former reporter for HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Habertürk TV and the now defunct Radikal daily, SOURCES: was taken into custody on July 12 on grounds of an arrest warrant issued by the Istanbul Chief For more information in Turkish: Public Prosecutor’s Office. Gökkılıç was among https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/15-temmuz-darbe- 24 people sought as part of an ongoing girisimi/fetonun-7-subat-mit-kumpasi- investigation concerning 2012’s “MİT crisis,” in sorusturmasinda-14-tutuklama/1208773 which the head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and several intelligence https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/eski- officials were summoned to testify in court. radikal-ve-haberturk-tv-muhabiri-mustafa- Gökkılıç was arrested alongside five other gokkilic-tutuklandi/ individuals as part of the investigation. https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust Source 3: Expression Interrupted u-halde-gazeteciler-166/

Former Radikal reporter Mustafa Gökkılıç jailed https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/turkiyede pending trial -basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu-167/

Mustafa Gökkılıç, a former reporter for http://platform24.org/guncel/3206/turkiye-de- Habertürk TV and the now defunct Radikal daily, basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu---167

123

MUSTAFA GÖKTAŞ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A terrorism police department in the city of Şanlıurfa. He remained in custody for 13 days GENDER: Male before his statement was taken by the PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Şanlıurfa prosecutor. Göktaş was sent to a prison facility in correspondent of now-shuttered Özgür Gündem Şanlıurfa following the court decision.

DATE of ARREST: March 16, 2018 Source 2: Expression Interrupted

DETAILS of ARREST: Mustafa Göktaş ordered to remain behind bars

Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) The fifth hearing of the trial of Mustafa Göktaş, a former employee of the shuttered pro-Kurdish Mustafa Göktaş, Şanlıurfa correspondent of newspaper Özgürlükçü Demokrasi, took place on now-shuttered Özgür Gündem, was arrested on 23 May at the Urfa 2nd High Criminal Court. March 16, 2018 over accusations of “terrorist Göktaş and his lawyer were in attendance at the propaganda” and “membership of a terrorist hearing. The prosecution reiterated their final organisation”. Göktaş was initially detained on opinion of the case, submitted during the March 2 in Istanbul during a security control previous hearing, in which they asked the court check after he learned that an investigation had to convict Göktaş of “membership in a terrorist been opened concerning him. Later he was sent group” and “disseminating terrorist to Şanlıurfa Courthouse under detention to be propaganda.” Göktaş’s lawyer Mustafa Vefa told brought on a trial. His phone calls and press the court they rejected the prosecutor’s final releases were used as evidence in the court case. opinion and requested his client’s release He is currently imprisoned at Urfa Prison. pending trial. Göktaş requested a continuance, DETAILS of TRIAL: saying he was physically unfit to make his defense statement because he has been on a Source 1: Expression Interrupted hunger strike since 1 March. Granting Göktaş Özgür Gündem reporter Göktaş arrested additional time for his defense statement, the court adjourned the trial until 12 September. Mustafa Göktaş, a local reporter for the shuttered Özgür Gündem daily, was imprisoned PRISON SENTENCE: N/A pending trial in the southeastern province of LEGISLATION USED: N/A Şanlıurfa on March 16 on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” and CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested “spreading propaganda” after spending 14 days CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Urfa Prison in police custody. Göktaş was arrested during a regular police security control in Istanbul on the CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A grounds that an arrest warrant had been issued HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A against him. He was brought to the anti-

124

MUSTAFA ÜNAL

DATE of BIRTH: N/A other journalists imprisoned in the case include Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, Ahmet Turan Alkan, GENDER: Male Alaattin Güner, Ali Bulaç, Cuma Kaya, Faruk PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Columnist/op- Akkan, Hakan Taşdelen, Hüseyin Turan, İbrahim ed contributor for Zaman newspaper Karayeğen, Mehmet Özdemir, Mümtazer Türköne, Murat Avcıoğlu, Mustafa Ünal, Şahin th DATE of ARREST: He was detained on the 27 of Alpay, Şeref Yılmaz and Zafer Özsoy. Trial in the th July 2016 and arrested on the 30 July 2016 case is scheduled to begin on Sept. 18, 2017.

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

DETAILS of TRIAL: Police detained Mustafa Ünal, former Ankara Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) correspondent for the shuttered newspaper Zaman, at his home in Ankara the morning of July Mustafa Ünal, a columnist/op-ed contributor for 27, 2016, CPJ reported at the time. The court Zaman newspaper, was ordered arrested on July arraigned him and co-defendants and fellow 30, 2016 as part of the government purge of former Zaman journalists Ali Bulaç, Ahmet Turan individuals accused of spreading propaganda for Alkan, and Şahin Alpay on charges of being the outlawed movement headed by U.S.-based members of a terrorist organization on July 30 of cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government the same year. They were accused of following accuses of having established a “parallel state exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, whom the structure” and who it blames for the failed July Turkish government accuses of maintaining a 15, 2016 coup attempt. On April 27, 2017, an terrorist organization and "parallel state Istanbul court accepted an indictment against structure" (FETÖ/PDY, by its Turkish acronym) Ünal and 29 other former Zaman Media Group and masterminding a failed military coup on July employees that accuses them of attempting to 15, 2016. According to records of the overthrow the government, the Constitution and arraignment hearing, which CPJ has reviewed, Parliament, and which seeks three consecutive the state alleged that Bulaç, Alpay, Alkan, and life sentences for each suspect. The indictment Ünal wrote articles in Zaman praising FETÖ/PDY also seeks another 15 years for each suspect on and that the newspaper was the group's media charges of being members of a terrorist organ. The state further alleged that because organisation. The indictment alleges that Zaman, Bulaç and the other Zaman columnists continued which was founded in 1986, was fully taken over writing for the newspaper after its editor-in- by the Gülen movement the following year and chief, Ekrem Dumanlı, was charged in absentia of was able to continue operating only due to the being "a member of an armed terrorist group’s financial support. It also accuses the organization," they remained involved even group of “using the media as a weapon” to though they knew the group included armed “manipulate society”, and alleges that Zaman elements, according to court records. According employed “columnists with ideas that could to the court records, the state also alleged that have supported the organization”. The Bulaç, Alpay, Alkan, and Ünal praised Gülenists newspaper was shuttered in May 2016 after it on social media, despite what the state was seized by the state. As of April 28, 2017, described as "strong discourse and public

125 information" that an armed uprising would take journalists—which it referred to as “the media place. The court judged the journalists to be force of the terrorist organization”—of flight risks and ordered them jailed pending trial. producing false news to weaken the Many people have fled in the wake of the government, insult or humiliate the authorities, government crackdown on suspected Gülenists. attempt to disrupt the peace, and to create an The court did not specify the accusations against environment suitable for a coup. Ünal denied the the individual journalists but judged their cases charges, according to the indictment. An Istanbul collectively, court documents show. An Istanbul court on July 6, 2018, found Ünal guilty of "being court in March 2016 ordered the Feza Media a member of an armed [terrorist] organization Group, which owned Zaman and several other and sentenced him to 10 years and six months in media outlets, placed under trustees appointed prison, according to news reports. The court by the government. The government used acquitted the journalist of the other charges. He emergency powers arrogated after the failed is jailed at Silivri Prison in Istanbul. July 15 military coup to order the newspaper PRISON SENTENCE: 10 years 6 months closed by decree on July 27, 2016. According to records of the arraignment hearing, Ünal, then LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 49, told the court that he retired from Zaman after it was placed under trusteeship, and that CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested he waited for the police to come to his home, CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A which he said showed he had no intention to try to escape should the court grant bail. Ünal told CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A the court he suffers from thyroid problems. His HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A lawyer, İbrahim İpar, told CPJ in 2016 that he was initially unable to obtain the records of Ünal's SOURCES: testimony to police or prosecutors because of For more information in English: restrictions established by the state of emergency. Ünal was on trial alongside 30 First hearing: journalists and media workers and an academic. https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- All were charged with “attempting, through in-state-of-emergency-91/ violence and force, to disrupt and replace the Second hearing: order as recognized by Turkey’s Constitution,” https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- “attempting through violence and force to remain-behind-bars-in-zaman-trial/ eliminate or prevent Parliament from carrying out its duties,” and “being a member of an Third hearing: armed terrorist organization.” Not all of the https://expressioninterrupted.com/five- defendants are in custody. The trial’s first acquitted-in-zaman-trial-two-journos-released- hearing was in Istanbul on September 18, 2017, from-prison/ according to local reports. In the indictment, For more information in Turkish: reviewed by CPJ, the prosecution said that the defendants’ journalism, including opinion pieces http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ or their employment by pro-Gülen outlets such 1019291/Zaman_gazetesi_davasinda_karar.htm as the daily Zaman and Cihan News Agency, is l; https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- evidence that the journalists were part of the gazetesi-eski-yazari-mustafa-unalin- alleged terror group. The indictment accused the yargilanmasi/

126

MUSTAFA YAYLA

DATE of BIRTH: N/A The court refused to defer his sentence or commute it to a judicial fine. Yayla, who had GENDER: Male recently relocated in Izmir after getting married, PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Local journalist was placed in the Torbalı Prison in Izmir.

DATE of ARREST: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: 11 months and 20 days

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A LEGISLATION USED: N/A

DETAILS of TRIAL: CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

Source 1: Expression Interrupted CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Torbalı Prison in İzmir Journalist Mustafa Yayla sent to prison in Izmir CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A Mustafa Yayla, a local journalist based in the Aegean province of Aydın, was sent to prison on HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A 19 May after an appellate court upheld a SOURCES: previous conviction on the charge of “insulting the president.” Yayla had been given a prison For more information in Turkish: sentence of 11 months and 20 days over his https://t24.com.tr/haber/gazeteci-mustafa- social media posts in a trial overseen by the yayla-cumhurbaskani-na-hakaretten-cezaevine- Kuşadası 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. girdi,822068

127

MUTLU ÇÖLGEÇEN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A release of eight of them and the release order for the other 13 was blocked hours later. The GENDER: Male defendants – with the exception of Akkuş, who PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor with was freed after having been imprisoned since Millet newspaper July 30, 2016 – remained behind bars and the judges who made the order were suspended. st DATE of ARREST: He was detained on the 31 of Prosecutors later brought new charges against August 2016 and arrested on Sept. 9, 2016 13 of the journalists on charges of trying to DETAILS of ARREST: N/A overthrow the government and the constitutional order. Those facing the new DETAILS of TRIAL: charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Source 1: International Press institute (IPI) Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız. Mutlu Çölgeçen, an editor with Millet newspaper, was ordered arrested on Sept. 9, Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) 2016 as part of a purge of journalists allegedly Police detained Çölgeçen, former news linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who coordinator for the shuttered daily newspaper Turkey’s government accuses of having Millet, in Istanbul on August 31, 2016. Istanbul established a “parallel state structure” and who First Court of Penal Peace ordered the journalist it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 coup jailed pending trial on September 2, 2016. attempt. Çölgeçen is one of 29 journalists According to records of his arraignment hearing, charged in a case accusing them of having been which CPJ has reviewed, when asked about his part of the Gülen movement’s “media wing”. work for Millet, the journalist told the court that They face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. As he had worked as a journalist since 1994 at of May 2, 2017, other journalists imprisoned in various newspapers and television channels connection with the case include Abdullah Kılıç, before joining Millet in September 2014 as the Ahmet Memiş, Atilla Taş, Bayram Kaya, news coordinator. He told the court he quit the Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan newspaper on August 21, 2015, following an Acar, Cuma Ulus, Emre Soncan, Gökçe Fırat argument he had with a colleague, and that he Çulhaoğlu, Habib Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, had been unemployed since. The journalist Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat Aksoy, denied that he was a follower of exiled preacher Mustafa Erkan Acar, Oğuz Usluer, Seyid Kılıç, Fethullah Gülen, whom the Turkish government Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin accuses of maintaining a terrorist organization Yıldız. Six other journalists face charges in the and "parallel state structure" in Turkey case, including Ali Akkuş, Bülent Ceyhan, Davut (FETÖ/PDY, by its Turkish acronym) and of Aydın, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, Muhterem masterminding a July 15, 2016, failed military Tanık and Said Sefa, the latter of whom coup. Çölgeçen denied having any connection to reportedly had fled the country. On March 31, the failed military coup. The court ordered him 2017 a court in Turkey ordered 21 of the jailed based on its "strong suspicion" that imprisoned defendants released conditionally, Çölgeçen "willingly and knowingly helped the but prosecutors successfully objected to the organization.” Millet was one of several media

128 outlets owned by the Koza İpek Group, which the months in prison, according to reports. The court government took over in October 2015, alleging acquitted all the defendants of the more serious it had links to FETÖ/PDY. Trustees appointed by coup-related charges in the second indictment. the government hollowed out media outlets the At least 18 of the journalists were sent to prison company owned and shut them down in March for varying prison terms. Two of them-- Atilla Taş 2016, saying they were not financially viable. and Murat Aksoy—were sentenced and released Çölgeçen is on trial with several other journalists for time served, and the journalists Bünyamin arrested after the attempted coup. All but one of Köseli and Cihan Acar remain free pending the them were charged with “being a member of an appeal, according to reports. Lawyers for the armed [terrorist] organization,” which carries up journalists told CPJ they are appealing the to 10 years in prison, according to the verdict. As of late 2018, the local appeal process indictment. CPJ found the indictment to be was ongoing. Çölgeçen was being held in Silivri similar to those presented at trials of other prison in Istanbul. journalists in Turkey. Prosecutors cited as PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years and 3 months evidence in these cases journalistic activity or acts of free speech and communication, or cited LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 circumstantial evidence such as being employed by a certain media outlet or having an account at CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested a bank allegedly linked to Gulenists. The CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, indictment accused the defendants of İstanbul manipulating the public perception of FETÖ to turn citizens against the government, which CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A prosecutors argued made them members of the HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A group that Turkey alleges is behind the attempted coup. Prosecutors presented as SOURCES: evidence against Çölgeçen his employment at For more information in English: Millet, his appearance as a guest on a TV debate on alleged government corruption, and his social http://bianet.org/english/media/195007- media activity. Prosecutors accused Çölgeçen of sentence-passed-in-feto-media-organization-in- producing false news about prominent cases-- which-28-journalists-tried including the alleged Ergenekon and Second hearing: Sledgehammer plots to destabilize the https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- government--while he was working at pro- appear-before-court-for-second-hearing-in- government media outlets, including the daily terrorism-case/ Sabah. At that time those cases were reported, the Gülenists and the government were allies. Third hearing: When the trial started in March 2017, an Istanbul https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- court ordered Çölgeçen and four of his co- in-state-of-emergency-72/ accused to be detained for the duration of the trial, according to news reports. An Istanbul https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- in-state-of-emergency-99/ court on March 8, 2018, found Çölgeçen and at least 21 of the other journalists on trial guilty of https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- "being a member of a [terrorist] organization,” in-state-of-emergency-71/ and sentenced Çölgeçen to seven years and six

129

Final hearing: http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/194548- https://expressioninterrupted.com/25- 28-gazetecinin-yargilandigi-feto-medya- journalists-handed-prison-sentences/ yapilanmasi-davasinda-karar-aciklandi https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-162/ mutlu-colgecene-orgut-uyeliginden-6-yil-3-ay- hapis-cezasi-verildi/ For more information in Turkish:

130

MUTLU ÖZAY

DATE of BIRTH: N/A reports. Authorities allege that use of the encrypted messaging app is proof of FETÖ/PDY GENDER: Male membership. Turkey issued arrest warrants for PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former Cihan 35 journalists and media workers. Of those, nine news agency reporter were ordered to be jailed pending trial and as of late 2017, two were released under house DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on arrest, according to news reports. A December 5, Aug. 16, 2017 2017 report from the pro-government daily DETAILS of ARREST: Sabah said an indictment for Özay accused the journalist of using the Bylock app. In late 2018, Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) CPJ was unable to find details of a lawyer who Mutlu Özay, a former Cihan news agency could provide further information on the case, or reporter, was ordered arrested on Aug. 16, 2017 to review a copy of the indictment. on accusations of links to U.S.-based cleric PRISON SENTENCE: N/A Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of having established a “parallel state CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested structure” and who it blames for the failed July CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A 15, 2016 coup attempt. Özay was detained for allegedly having used mobile phone encryption CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A application Bylock, which Turkish prosecutors HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A consider to be evidence of membership in the Gülen movement. SOURCES:

DETAILS of TRIAL: For more information in English:

Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- in-state-of-emergency-83/ Istanbul police on August 10, 2017, detained Mutlu Özay, a former reporter for the daily https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- Zaman, according to news reports. Özay was one in-state-of-emergency-84/ of 35 journalists and media workers whose https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- arrest a Turkish court mandated the week before in-state-of-emergency-85/ as part of a sweeping purge of suspected followers of exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- according to reports. The Turkish government in-state-of-emergency-102/ accuses Gülen of maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel state structure" For more information in Turkish: (FETÖ/PDY, as the government calls it) within https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/cihan- Turkey and alleges that it masterminded a failed haber-ajansi-muhabiri-mutlu-ozay-bylock- July 2016 military coup. Özay’s arrest is part of kullandigi-iddiasiyla-feto-uyeliginden- an investigation into journalists and others who yargilaniyor/ allegedly used the Bylock app, according to press

131

MÜMTAZER TÜRKÖNE

DATE of BIRTH: 1956 have supported the organization”. The newspaper was shuttered in May 2016 after it GENDER: Male was seized by the state. As of April 28, 2017, PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Columnist/op- other journalists imprisoned in the case include ed contributor for Zaman newspaper Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, Ahmet Turan Alkan, Alaattin Güner, Ali Bulaç, Cuma Kaya, Faruk DATE of ARREST: 5 August, 2016 Akkan, Hakan Taşdelen, Hüseyin Turan, İbrahim DETAILS of ARREST: Karayeğen, Mehmet Özdemir, Murat Avcıoğlu, Mustafa Ünal, Şahin Alpay, Şeref Yılmaz and Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Zafer Özsoy. Trial in the case is scheduled to Mümtazer Türköne, a columnist/op-ed begin on Sept. 18, 2017. contributor for Zaman newspaper, was ordered Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) arrested on Aug. 5, 2016 as part of the government purge of individuals accused of Police in the western province of Yalova spreading propaganda for the outlawed detained Mümtaz'er Türköne, a then-60-year- movement headed by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah old political scientist and columnist for the Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of shuttered daily newspaper Zaman, on July 27, having established a “parallel state structure” 2016, as part of a broad purge of suspected and who it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 followers of exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen. coup attempt. The Turkish government accuses Gülen of maintaining a terrorist organization and parallel DETAILS of TRIAL: state structure in Turkey (FETÖ/PDY, by its Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Turkish acronym) and masterminding a July 15, 2016, failed military coup. Authorities On April 27, 2017, an Istanbul court accepted an subsequently transferred Türköne to Istanbul for indictment against Türköne and 29 other former questioning, and Istanbul's Third Court of Penal Zaman Media Group employees that accuses Peace on August 4, 2016, ordered him jailed, them of attempting to overthrow the pending trial on charges of "serving to the aims government, the Constitution and Parliament, of the terrorist organization FETÖ/PDY." and which seeks three consecutive life sentences According to the court records of his for each suspect. The indictment also seeks arraignment, the state alleged that Türköne was another 15 years for each suspect on charges of "a columnist at a newspaper issued in the name being members of a terrorist organisation. The of the organization, and that he served the aims indictment alleges that Zaman, which was of the organization with his articles." An Istanbul founded in 1986, was fully taken over by the court in March 2016 ordered the Feza Media Gülen movement the following year and was Group, which owned Zaman and several other able to continue operating only due to the media outlets, placed under trustees appointed group’s financial support. It also accuses the by the government. The government used group of “using the media as a weapon” to emergency powers it assumed after the failed “manipulate society”, and alleges that Zaman July 15, 2016, military coup to order the employed “columnists with ideas that could newspaper closed by decree on July 27, 2016.

132

According to court documents, Türköne told the or their employment by pro-Gülen outlets such court that he had been a political scientist for 30 as the daily Zaman and Cihan News Agency, is years and that he had written 16 books. He said evidence that the journalists were part of the the idea to "call on the people to take to the alleged terror group. The indictment accused the streets in case of a military coup, as President journalists—which it referred to as “the media Erdoğan did," originated with him. On the night force of the terrorist organization”—of of the failed military coup, the Turkish president producing false news to weaken the called on citizens to fill the streets to foil the government, insult or humiliate the authorities, plans. Türköne told the court that he spoke attempt to disrupt the peace, and to create an about this idea on many television shows and in environment suitable for a coup. Türköne denied many newspaper columns prior to July 2016 as a the charges, according to the indictment. An means of foiling future coup attempts. Türköne Istanbul court on July 6, 2018, found Türköne said police produced five of his articles as guilty of "being a member of an armed [terrorist] evidence of his support for the attempted coup. organization" and sentenced him to 10 years and The columnist denied the allegations, and said all six months in prison, according to news reports. the articles were calling for alternative The court acquitted Türköne on the other democratic solutions, and the removal of the charges. He remains imprisoned at Silivri Prison government through elections. "I know in Istanbul. Fethullah Gülen. I know that Zaman newspaper Source 3: Expression Interrupted was under his control," Türköne told the court. "As an author, to reach a wider audience, I Mümtazer Türköne, an academic and columnist preferred to write in Zaman, which [had] the for the shuttered Zaman newspaper, was highest circulation in Turkey." "During the time I arrested in a series of raids targeting former wrote for Zaman, there was no open Zaman journalists and columnists in late July. A intervention about what to write. Sometimes court imprisoned him pending trial a few days [staff] reminded me of current issues and later on the charge of “membership of an armed advised me to write about different issues. No terrorist organization.” According to an intervention happened over any article I wrote. I indictment submitted to the İstanbul 13th High also do not feel I am dependent on the editorial Criminal Court in April, Türköne, along with 29 policy of the newspaper," Türköne told the other defendants, faces three aggravated life court. Türköne was on trial alongside 30 sentences on charges of “attempting to journalists and media workers and an academic. overthrow the government, the constitutional All were charged with “attempting, through order and Parliament,” as well as a prison term violence and force, to disrupt and replace the of up to 15 years for “being a member of a order as recognized by Turkey’s Constitution,” terrorist organization.” Türköne and other “attempting through violence and force to defendants appeared before a judge for the first eliminate or prevent Parliament from carrying hearing of their trial on September 18-19, 2017. out its duties,” and “being a member of an The court ruled to keep all imprisoned armed terrorist organization.” Not all of the defendants behind bars and lifted the State of defendants are in custody. The trial’s first Emergency restrictions on access to lawyers. At hearing was in Istanbul on September 18, 2017, the end of the second hearing of the Zaman trial according to local reports. In the indictment, on December 8, 2017, the court released three reviewed by CPJ, the prosecution said that the employees of the Zaman advertising department defendants’ journalism, including opinion pieces and ruled to keep all other imprisoned

133 defendants, including Türköne, behind bars. imprisoned defendants in the case, including During the third hearing of the trial on April 5, Mümtazer Türköne, and set June 7 and 8 as the 2018, the prosecutor submitted his final opinion, dates for the next hearing. At the end of the fifth seeking aggravated life imprisonment and an hearing held on June 7-8, the 13th High Criminal additional 15 years in prison for “violating the Court of Istanbul ordered the continuation of Constitution” and “membership in an armed Türköne, Alkan, Karayeğen and Ünal’s detention. terrorist organization” for nine of the 11 One of the judges on the panel gave a dissenting columnists and journalists standing trial in the opinion on that ruling. Recalling Ali Bulaç’s case, including Türköne. Issuing an interim ruling release at the end of the previous hearing on at the end of the hearing, the court ordered the grounds that the nature of the allegations continuation of detention of all imprisoned against him could be subject to change, the defendants in the case and adjourned the trial judge asserted that all jailed defendants in the until May 10-11 for the final defense statements. case should have been released based on the The fourth hearing was held on May 10 and 11 at principle of legal equality. The court set July 5 the 13th High Criminal Court of Istanbul. On the and 6 as the dates for the next hearing in the first day of the hearing, Türköne was one of only case. Announcing its verdict at the end of the July two defendants who gave their defense 5-6 hearing the 13th High Criminal Court of statements in response to the prosecutor’s final Istanbul found six of the defendants — including opinion. Türköne’s objections to the Türköne — guilty of the “membership in a prosecutor’s final opinion on procedural grounds terrorist group” charge, handing down prison made its mark on the session. Türköne told the sentences of various lengths between 8 years court that there were discrepancies between the and 9 months and 10.5 years, while acquitting prosecutor’s final opinion submitted during the five defendants of all charges. The court gave the previous hearing on April 5 and the latest version lengthiest sentences in the trial to columnist of the final opinion handed out to the Türköne and Ankara representative-columnist defendants in CDs to base their final defense Mustafa Ünal, sentencing each to 10.5 years in statements on. The points raised by Türköne prison. The panel also ruled for the continuation were also highlighted by other defendants who of Türköne and Ünal’s detentions pending the addressed the court later in the hearing. In his appeal process. Türköne was also on trial in a final defense statement, Türköne provided separate case in which he was charged in detailed explanations regarding his newspaper connection with an article published on February columns that are held as evidence against him in 4, 2016. On July 4, 2017, Bakırköy 2nd High the indictment. Noting at the end of his address Criminal Court, which oversaw the trial, to the court that he has not finished his defense, sentenced Türköne to four years and two Türköne requested additional time to prepare a months in prison for “threatening President further statement concerning seven more of his Recep Tayyip Erdoğan” in the said column. The articles on which the accusations are also based. court initially sentenced Türköne to five years in In its interim decision at the end of the two-day jail and then reduced it to four years and two hearing, the court ruled to release columnist Ali months, taking into consideration Türköne’s Bulaç and Zaman’s former Responsible “good behavior” during the trial process. Managing Editor Mehmet Özdemir from pretrial Türköne attended the hearing from the Silivri detention, while ordering the lifting of Şahin Prison he is currently held via SEGBİS video Alpay’s house arrest. The court ordered the conferencing system. continuation of the detention of the remaining PRISON SENTENCE: 10 years 6 months

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LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 that he could have the open-heart surgery and the necessary care. CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested SOURCES: CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, İstanbul For more information in English:

CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A Final hearing: https://expressioninterrupted.com/five- HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A acquitted-in-zaman-trial-two-journos-released- Source 1: Expression Interrupted from-prison/

Mümtazer Türköne refuses to have heart https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- surgery expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-151/

Mümtazer Türköne, a former columnist of the https://expressioninterrupted.com/appellate- shuttered Zaman newspaper, was sent back to court-upholds-verdict-in-zaman-trial/ prison without an open-heart surgery doctors https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- said was necessary because he refused to expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-207/ undergo the operation due to his concerns over post-surgery care in prison. Türköne was https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- hospitalized due to blockage in two of his expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-212/ arteries. Doctors recommended open-heart https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- surgery to clear the blockage but Türköne’s expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-214/ family said he refused as he was not going to get the required care after the operation in prison. https://expressioninterrupted.com/mumtazer- Instead, he had an angioplasty during which turkones-trial-adjourned-until-october/ doctors placed a stent in one of the clogged arteries and was sent back to prison. His For more information in Turkish: daughter, Sıla Türköne, said his 63-year-old https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- father’s health is at risk every day he does not gazetesi-eski-yazari-mumtazar-turkonenin- have the surgery and called for his release so yargilanmasi/

135

NADİR YÜCEL

DATE of BIRTH: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A

GENDER: Male PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor in chief of LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 the Çorum Yıldız newspaper CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: N/A DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A Dec. 4, 2016 CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) For more information in English: Nadir Yücel, editor in chief of the Çorum Yıldız, was ordered arrested on Dec. 4, 2016 as part of https://expressioninterrupted.com/lokman- a purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.- erdogan/ based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of having established a For more information in Turkish: “parallel state structure” and who it blames for https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/corum- the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. The case yildiz-gazetesi-yayin-yonetmeni-nadir-yucel- also reportedly targets five other journalists: feto-davasindan-tutuklu-yargilaniyor/ Burçin Dokgöz, Lokman Erdoğan, İdris Okur, Musa Ayan and Murat Öztürk.

136

NEDİM TÜRFENT

DATE of BIRTH: N/A know Türfent. Türfent is currently being held in the Van F-type prison, reportedly in a single cell. GENDER: Male Source 2: Expression Interrupted PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for the now-shuttered pro-Kurdish Dicle News Agency On May 13, Türfent was imprisoned pending trial (DİHA) on the charge of “membership in a terrorist organization,” based on some of his reports for DATE of ARREST: He was ordered imprisoned DİHA and secret witness testimony. He was first pending trial on May 13, 2016 sent to Hakkari Prison but was later transfered to DETAILS of ARREST: Van and has changed prisons several times since then. In a letter in May from Van T-Type Prison, Source 1: Expression Interrupted where he was sent to on April 26, Türfent said he Nedim Türfent, a correspondent for the pro- was held in solitary confinement for three weeks Kurdish Dicle News Agency (DİHA) that was since his transfer to the facility. Türfent said the closed down with an emergency decree, was prison administration has rejected his requests arrested on May 12, 2016, in the eastern to move to three-inmate cells, saying they are all province of Van as part of an investigation occupied. Türfent also complained that he has launched by the public prosecutor’s office in not been given any book yet from the prison Yüksekova, a district in the southeastern library. According to media reports, a 23-page province of Hakkari. indictment prepared by Hakkari Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office lists some meetings and DETAILS of TRIAL: interviews of Türfent as criminal activities. The Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) indictment also includes statements given to the police by some 20 people, who allegedly said Nedim Türfent, a reporter for the now-shuttered that Türfent “aided the terrorist organization” pro-Kurdish Dicle News Agency (DİHA), was with the reports he filed and the footages he ordered imprisoned pending trial on May 13, filmed. The prosecutor accuses Türfent of being 2016. He was accused of being a member of the a member of the terrorist group — apparently in Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Kurdish reference to the PKK — saying he acted under Civil Protection Units (YPS), both of which Turkey instructions from the terrorist organization, that classifies as terrorist organisations, and of he acted as the media agent of the group and producing propaganda for the two groups. A that he had “organic” links that presented Turkish court rejected Türfent’s request for “continuity, intensity and diversity.” The release from pre-trial detention in an Aug. 10, prosecutor also lists some social media posts of 2017 hearing. According to local reports, the Türfent as “terrorist propaganda,” saying they ruling came despite Türfent’s lawyer argument were aimed at legitimizing the group’s violent that 13 of 14 witnesses heard at the first hearing methods and its use of force. On June 14, 2017, in the case said that police tortured them to the first hearing of Türfent’s trial was held at obtain previous statements the witnesses gave Hakkari 2nd High Criminal Court, more than a implicating Türfent and that they did not actually year after he was jailed. Twelve out of 13 witnesses who were heard by the court said they

137 gave testimony against Türfent under torture. The Turkish version of the questionnaire is Türfent, who presented his defense at the available here. hearing, said he acted as a journalist and did HEALTH CONCERNS: See questionnaire above. what his profession required him to do. Despite witness testimonies disavowing earlier SOURCES: statements, the court ruled to keep Türfent in pre-trial detention. The court convicted Türfent For more information in English: of “membership in a terrorist organization” in https://cpj.org/data/people/nedim-turfent/ the fifth and final hearing of the trial against him on December 15, 2017. The court initially First hearing: handed down seven years to Türfent, but https://expressioninterrupted.com/scores-of- increased this term to eight years and nine journalists-rights-defenders-to-go-on-trial/ months on the grounds that his “actions had Third hearing: been continuous.” The court also ruled not to https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- release Türfent for the duration of the appeal in-state-of-emergency-100/ process. Fifth hearing: Source 3: Expression Interrupted https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- Supreme Court of Appeals upholds journalist in-state-of-emergency-105/ Nedim Türfent’s conviction https://expressioninterrupted.com/testimony- The 16th Criminal Chamber of the Supreme under-torture-deemed-admissible-in-turfent- Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction case/ against journalist Nedim Türfent, who has been https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- in prison for more than three years. Türfent, a in-state-of-emergency-133/ former reporter for the shuttered Dicle news agency (DİHA), was jailed pending trial on 13 https://www.mlsaturkey.com/en/journalist- May 2016. At the end of the final hearing of his nedim-turfents-8-year-and-9-month-sentence- trial on 15 December 2017, the 2nd High upheld-by-the-supreme-court-of-cassation/ Criminal Court of Hakkari convicted Türfent of For more information in Turkish: “terrorist group membership” and sentenced the journalist to 8 years and 9 months in prison. https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/diha-ajansi- van-muhabiri-nedim-turfente-orgut- PRISON SENTENCE: 8 years and 9 months uyeliginden-8-yil-9-ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested ozgurlugu/214203-yargitay-gazeteci-nedim- turfent-e-verilen-hapis-cezasini-onadi CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Van F-type prison http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- ozgurlugu/192507-gazeteci-nedim-turfent-e-8- CONDITIONS of DETENTION: yil-9-ay-hapis-cezasi

Information on his conditions of detention and http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/191633- health concerns can be found in a questionnaire gazeteci-nedim-turfent-in-tutuklulugu-devam- by Platform 24 (P24). edecek

138 http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/191192- http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/187342- gazeteci-nedim-turfent-yine-tahliye-edilmedi 13-aydir-tutuklu-olan-gazeteci-turfent-in- davasi-basliyor http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/191152- gazeteci-nedim-turfent-in-ucuncu-durusmasi- http://bianet.org/bianet/medya/174755-diha- bugun muhabiri-nedim-turfent-tutuklandi http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/187443- For more information in Kurdish: gazeteci-turfent-davasinda-tahliye-yok-taniklar- http://bianet.org/kurdi/medya/214204- iskenceyi-anlatti dadgeha-bilind-cezaye-girtine-ye-li-nedim- turfenti-hatiye-birin-pesend-kiriye

139

NUH GÖNÜLTAŞ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A decree. The Financial Crimes Unit of the Istanbul Police Department is conducting the GENDER: Male investigation. A total of 111 detention warrants PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former writer were issued across 17 provinces, authorities for the now-closed Zaman newspaper said. Warrants for editor-in-chief of the Zaman newspaper and GYV President Mustafa Yeşil DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on were also issued. GYV was an organization Nov. 9, 2017 affiliated with the Fethullah Gülen network, DETAILS of ARREST: which Turkish authorities say was behind the 15 July coup attempt in Turkey. Source 1: International Press institute (IPI) PRISON SENTENCE: N/A Nuh Gönültaş, a former writer for the now- closed Zaman newspaper, was ordered arrested LEGISLATION USED: N/A on Nov. 9, 2017 as a part of an operation against CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested the Journalists’ and Writers’ Foundation (GYV), which was closed down under a decree law. GYV CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A was an organization allegedly affiliated with U.S.- CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A based cleric Fethullah Gülen, whom Turkey’s government blames for the July 15, 2016 coup HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A attempt. Gönültaş is charged with “membership SOURCES: in a terrorist organisation” together with two other journalists, Behram Kılıç and Mehmet For more information in English: Gündem. https://cpj.org/blog/2017/11/turkey- DETAILS of TRIAL: crackdown-chronicle-week-of-november-5- 2017.php Source 1: Expression Interrupted For more information in Turkish: 45 detained in operation into writers’ group https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- Forty five individuals, including journalists Nuh gazetesi-eski-yazari-nuh-gonultas-gozaltina- Gönültaş, Mehmet Gündem, Şule Büyükçizmeci alindi/ and Behram Kılıç, were taken into custody by police on November 1, as part of an operation https://www.cnnturk.com/turkiye/gazeteciler- into the Journalists’ and Writers’ Foundation ve-yazarlar-vakfi-uyelerine-17-ilde-feto- (GYV), which was shut down under a post-coup operasyonu

140

NURİ DURNA

DATE of BIRTH: N/A allegedly linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of GENDER: Male having established a “parallel state structure” PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Turkish Radio and who it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 and Television Network (TRT) coup attempt.

DATE of ARREST: He was ordered arrested on PRISON SENTENCE: N/A Aug. 19, 2016 LEGISLATION USED: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: N/A CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested DETAILS of TRIAL: CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A Nuri Durna, with state-owned Turkish Radio and HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Television Network (TRT), was ordered arrested on Aug. 19, 2016 as part of a purge of journalists

141

NURİ YEŞİL

DATE of BIRTH: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

GENDER: Male LEGISLATION USED: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Dersim bureau CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted chief for pro-Kurdish Azadiya Welat newspaper CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Elbistan E Type DATE of ARREST: 2010 Closed Prison

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

DETAILS of TRIAL: HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) SOURCES:

Nuri Yeşil, Dersim bureau chief for pro-Kurdish For more information in English: Azadiya Welat newspaper, was arrested in 2010. For information in Turkish: He was convicted over alleged links to outlawed Kurdish militant groups and is currently serving a http://bianet.org/bianet/print/139279-ozgur- sentence of one year, seven months in prison. basin-olmasaydi-roboski-pozanti-duyulmaycakti

142

NURULLAH KAYA

DATE of BIRTH: N/A CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: N/A

GENDER: Male CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: N/A CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

DATE of ARREST: N/A HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A SOURCES:

DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A For more information in English:

PRISON SENTENCE: N/A For information in Turkish:

LEGISLATION USED: N/A For information in Kurdish:

143

OĞUZ USLUER

DATE of BIRTH: N/A the other 13 was blocked hours later. The defendants – with the exception of Akkuş, who GENDER: Male was freed after having been imprisoned since PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former July 30, 2016 – remained behind bars and the print/broadcast coordinator for Habertürk judges who made the order were suspended. Prosecutors later brought new charges against DATE of ARREST: 28 December 2016 13 of the journalists on charges of trying to DETAILS of ARREST: N/A overthrow the government and the constitutional order. Those facing the new DETAILS of TRIAL: charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız. Oğuz Usluer, a former print/broadcast coordinator for Habertürk, was ordered arrested Source 2: Expression Interrupted on Dec. 28, 2016 as part of a purge of journalists Journalist Oğuz Usluer detained in coup probe allegedly linked to U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of Oğuz Usluer, a former news coordinator for having established a “parallel state structure” Habertürk TV, was detained on Dec. 10 on and who it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 accusations of being affiliated with the Fethullah coup attempt. Usluer is one of 29 journalists Gülen community; a religious movement charged in a case accusing them of having been accused by the Turkish administration of being part of the Gülen movement’s “media wing”. behind the failed coup of July 15. Usluer’s family They face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. As members, who contacted P24 via email, have of May 2, 2017, other journalists imprisoned in expressed concern for his well being, stating that connection with the case include Abdullah Kılıç, the journalist is currently barred from seeing his Ahmet Memiş, Atilla Taş, Bayram Kaya, lawyer and members of his family. Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Cihan About the hearing: Acar, Cuma Ulus, Emre Soncan, Gökçe Fırat https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- Çulhaoğlu, Habib Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, appear-before-court-for-second-hearing-in- Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat Aksoy, terrorism-case/ Mustafa Erkan Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, Seyid Kılıç, Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and Yetkin PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months Yıldız. Six other journalists face charges in the LEGISLATION USED: N/A case, including Ali Akkuş, Bülent Ceyhan, Davut Aydın, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, Muhterem CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Tanık and Said Sefa, the latter of whom CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, reportedly had fled the country. On March 31, İstanbul 2017 a court in Turkey ordered 21 of the imprisoned defendants released conditionally, CONDITIONS of DETENTION: but prosecutors successfully objected to the release of eight of them and the release order for

144

Information on his conditions of detention and https://bianet.org/bianet/insan- health concerns can be found in a questionnaire haklari/189198-13-gazeteci-savunmalarina- by Platform 24 (P24). devam-etti

The Turkish version of the questionnaire is http://bianet.org/bianet/medya/201973- available here. gazeteciler-aksoy-ve-tas-in-cezasi-onandi

HEALTH CONCERNS: See questionnaire above. http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/194549- 29-medya-calisaninin-darbe-ve-uyelik- SOURCES: iddiasiyla-yargilandigi-davada-karar-bekleniyor For more information in English: https://www.mlsaturkey.com/tr/aralarinda- http://bianet.org/english/print/201986-prison- oguz-usluerin-de-bulundugu-26-gazetecinin- sentences-of-journalists-aksoy-tas-upheld hapis-cezasi-onandi/

For more information in Turkish: For more information in Kurdish: https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/haberturk- https://bianet.org/kurdi/mafen- tv-eski-haber-koordinatoru-oguz-usluere-orgut- mirovan/201980-dadgeheka-stenbole-cezaye- uyeliginden-7-yil-6-ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ girtine-daye-atilla-tas-u-murat-aksoyen- rojnameger

145

OSMAN YAKUT

DATE of BIRTH: N/A FETÖ/PDY mouthpieces. Since then, CPJ research shows that Turkish authorities have jailed GENDER: Male dozens of Zaman journalists pending trial on PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former Antalya terrorism-related offenses. On July 26, 2016, a reporter for the now-closed Zaman newspaper criminal court in Antalya ordered Yakut and eight other journalists detained in Antalya to be jailed DATE of ARREST: He was ordered jailed on July pending trial on charges they are FETÖ/PDY 21, 2016 propagandists, according to press reports. The DETAILS of TRIAL: reports gave no further details. As of September 2017, only three of the detained journalists, Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) including Yakut, remained in prison, according to Osman Yakut, a former Antalya reporter for the a local journalist who has followed the case and now-closed Zaman newspaper, was ordered who spoke with CPJ on the condition of jailed on July 21, 2016 as part of the government anonymity. According to the indictment, all the purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.- defendants are charged with “being a member based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s of a [terrorist] organization.” Prosecutors cited government accuses of having established a as evidence against Yakut his social media posts, “parallel state structure” and who it blames for employment at Zaman, and that he stayed at a the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. According Gülenist dormitory while in college. Yakut denied to news reports, prosecutors accused Yakut and the charge and said that he is only a journalist, others of producing propaganda for the Gülenist according to a copy of his testimony that was movement. included in the indictment.

Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

Counterterrorism police in the southern LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 province of Antalya on July 23, 2016, detained CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Osman Yakut, a former reporter for the shuttered daily Zaman,, as part of a sweeping CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Antalya Prison purge of journalists and others suspected of HEALTH CONCERNS: N/a following exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, according to press reports. The government SOURCES: accuses Gülen of maintaining a terrorist For more information in Turkish: organization and "parallel state structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the government calls it) within https://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- Turkey that it blames for orchestrating a failed ozgurlugu/177156-antalya-da-14-gazeteci- July 15, 2016, military coup. Zaman was among gozaltina-alindi the more than 100 news outlets the government https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- closed by decree on July 27, 2016, using gazetesi-muhabiri-osman-yakut-feto- emergency powers it assumed after the uyeliginden-15-yila-kadar-hapis-cezasi-istemi- attempted coup, saying the media outlets were ile-yargilaniyor/

146

ÖMER ORUÇ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Turkish authorities attribute to Gülen. Oruç is currently imprisoned in Isparta prison. GENDER: Males PRISON SENTENCE: N/A PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Former reporter for Cihan News Agency LEGISLATION USED: N/A

DATE of ARREST: 18 December 2016 CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

DETAILS of TRIAL: CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

Ömer Oruç, a former reporter of the Cihan News SOURCES: Agency, was arrested on Dec. 18, 2016 as a part For more information in English: of ongoing operations against alleged followers of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen following https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016, which in-state-of-emergency-52/

147

ÖZCAN KESER

DATE of BIRTH: N/A government’s investigation following the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. GENDER: Male PRISON SENTENCE: N/A PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for state-owned Turkish Radio and Television LEGISLATION USED: N/A Network (TRT) CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested DATE of ARREST: 19 August, 2016 CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of ARREST: CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL: HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) SOURCES: Özcan Keser, a reporter for state-owned Turkish For more information in Turkish: Radio and Television Network (TRT), was ordered arrested on Aug. 19, 2016 as part of the http://m.bianet.org/bianet/insan- haklari/177711-trt-den-2-gazeteciye-gozalti

148

ÖZDEN KINIK

DATE of BIRTH: N/A LEGISLATION USED: N/A

GENDER: Male CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: TRT CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

DATE of ARREST: N/A CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

DETAILS of TRIAL: Expression Interrupted SOURCES:

Jailed defendants Hasan Hüseyin Örs, İbrahim For more information in Turkish: Halil Öztürkeri and Hasan Taşar were each http://bianet.org/bianet/medya/201821-gun- sentenced to 8 years and 9 months in prison gun-uc-aylik-medya-ifade-ozgurlugu-ihlalleri- while another jailed defendant, Özden Kınık, was tam-metin given 8 years 1 month and 15 days in prison. The court also ruled for the continuation of all four’s http://platform24.org/medya- detention. izleme/3230/turkiye-de-basin-ve-ifade- ozgurlugu---169 PRISON SENTENCE: 8 years 1 month

149

SAİT GÜRKAN TUZLU

DATE of BIRTH: N/A journalists and others who allegedly used the Bylock app, according to press reports. GENDER: Male Authorities allege that use of the encrypted PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: An academic at messaging app is proof of FETÖ/PDY Marmara University's journalism school and membership. Turkey issued arrest warrants for former Cihan news agency reporter 35 journalists and media workers. Of those, nine were ordered to be jailed pending trial and as of DATE of ARREST: 16 August, 2017 2017, two were released under house arrest, DETAILS of ARREST: N/A according to news reports. A December 5, 2017 report from the pro-government daily Sabah said DETAILS of TRIAL: an indictment for Tuzlu accused the journalist of Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) using the Bylock app. In late 2018, CPJ was unable to find details of a lawyer who could Sait Gürkan Tuzlu, an academic at Marmara provide further information on the case, or to University's journalism school and former Cihan review a copy of the indictment. news agency reporter, was ordered arrested on Aug. 16, 2017 on accusations of links to U.S.- PRISON SENTENCE: N/A based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 government accuses of having established a “parallel state structure” and who it blames for CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. Tuzlu was CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A detained for allegedly having used mobile phone encryption application Bylock, which Turkish CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A prosecutors consider to be evidence of HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A membership in the Gülen movement. SOURCES: Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) For more information in English: Istanbul police on August 10, 2017, detained Sait Gürkan Tuzlu, a former reporter for the https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- shuttered Cihan News Agency, according to in-state-of-emergency-83/ news reports. Tuzlu was one of 35 journalists and https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- media workers whose arrest a Turkish court in-state-of-emergency-84/ mandated the week before as part of a sweeping purge of suspected followers of exiled preacher https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- Fethullah Gülen, according to reports. The in-state-of-emergency-85/ Turkish government accuses Gülen of maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- state structure" (FETÖ/PDY, as the government in-state-of-emergency-102/ calls it) within Turkey and alleges that it http://bianet.org/english/print/189188-9- masterminded a failed July 2016 military coup. journalists-arrested-in-bylock-investigation Tuzlu’s arrest is part of an investigation into

150

For more information in Turkish: http://bianet.org/bianet/print/188997-35- gazeteciye-bylock-gozaltisi-karari https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/cihan- haber-ajansi-muhabiri-sait-gurkan-tuzlu-bylock- For more information in Kurdish: kullandigi-iddiasiyla-feto-uyeliginden- https://bianet.org/kurdi/medya/189187-di- yargilaniyor/ carcoveya-lepirsina-bylocke-de-9-rojnameger- http://bianet.org/bianet/print/189185-9- hatin-girtin gazeteci-bylock-sorusturmasi-kapsaminda- tutuklandi

151

SAMİ TUNCA

DATE of BIRTH: N/A allegedly collected from the scene of the incident on the same day. He said, "The police GENDER: Males officers are aware of what they did (...). They PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor-in-chief think they can do whatever they want because of the Mücadele Birliği magazine they do not know the legal procedures very well". Tunca summarized his experiences as DATE of ARREST: 2013 follows: "We installed an information booth in DETAILS of ARREST: the centre of Sarıgazi on 26 June to announce a commemoration ceremony for the Sivas Source 1: Bianet – 29 June 2011 massacre. The police wanted to check our IDs. Torture in Police Custody - Lawyer Threatened After I gave them my ID the police said that I am wanted. I told them that I had been acquitted of Sami Tunca, taken into custody while distributing the charges on subject but they beat me and regarding the Sivas massacre, will file a criminal forced me to enter a car". "The people and complaint on the grounds of torture. Locals who shopkeepers in Sarıgazı protested and a conflict protested the police operation faced tear gas. developed. The police threw tear gas at the Tunca's lawyer was threatened by the police. shopkeepers and shot into the air". "After having Torture victim Sami Tunca is going to file a been taken into custody, two police officers criminal complaint about the police officers who brought me to a secluded place and beat me. tortured him while he was in police custody. From there I was taken to the police station Tunca announced his decision to take legal where they brought me to a room and beat me action in a press conference held at the Human again. They crashed a chair on my back. They Rights Association (İHD) Istanbul Branch held my head and smashed it to the floor". together with his lawyer Sevinç Sarıkaya. On 26 Lawyer Sarıkaya said that he arrived at the June, Tunca was taken into police custody Yenidoğan Police Station one hour after his client together with three young women from the was taken into custody at about 7.30 pm. There United Struggle Platform in the Sarıgazı district he saw three young women who were holding of Istanbul. The platform members had their heads because they had been dragged distributed leaflets with the call to remember roughly by their hair. When he was eventually the Sivas massacre. Ezgi Keser, Özge Keser and allowed to see his client, Tunca was not able to Esra Göner, three women in their early 20s, were stand on his feet. Sarıkaya recalled that Tunca dragged by their hair. Local shopkeepers was handcuffed and under surveillance until his protested against the harsh measures of the arrival. "We were taken to the room Tunca was police. Thereupon, the police reportedly threw a tortured in. I saw the broken chair and drops of gas bomb and shot into the air. Tunca reported blood on the floor. The prosecutor's office had that he was tortured by police officers before he not been informed yet when I called at 9.00 pm. was brought to the Yenidoğan Police Station and The police informed the prosecutor's office at also at the police station. His lawyer was 10.55 pm". While lawyer Sarıkaya was taking threatened by the police when he came to the care of the three women, Tunca was brought to police station to talk to his client. Lawyer hospital without informing his lawyer. Sarıkaya Sarıkaya also presented the police bullets finally managed to find out where his client had

152 been taken to. "After I returned from hospital, CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Convicted the chief of the police station told me 'If you try CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Tekirdağ F Type a case, this is the treatment you will get'". After Prison that, Sarıkaya was forced to leave the police station together with his client. Apparently, he CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A was not allowed to see the hospital report. Sarıkaya claimed that he was also threatened by HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A a plainclothes superintendent in front of the SOURCES: police station. He was reportedly told, "Lawyers like you are his way. You will see when your day For more information in Turkish: has come". The lawyer announced to file a http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- criminal complaint on the grounds of torture in ozgurlugu/174442-sami-tunca-hapisteyim the coming days. http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/172849- DETAILS of TRIAL: deniz-gezmis-fotografiyla-gezi-ye-katilan- Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) gazeteciye-49-yil-hapis

He was convicted over alleged links to the http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- outlawed Communist Labour Party of ozgurlugu/158852-gazeteci-tunca-dink- Turkey/Leninist (TKEP/Leninist), and sentenced anmasindan-yargilanacak to 50 years in prison. http://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr/haber/turkiye/ PRISON SENTENCE: N/A 494466/gazetecilere-ceza-yagdi-49-yil.html

LEGISLATION USED: N/A

153

SEDAT LAÇİNER

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University: Six academics including the former rector of GENDER: Male university Sedat Laçiner have been suspended. PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Columnist for Van Yüzüncü Yıl University: 17 academics have Haberdar News Portal and academic been suspended. DATE of ARREST: N/A İstanbul University: 95 academics have been DETAILS of ARREST: N/A suspended.

DETAILS of TRIAL: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University: Nine academics and two administrative staff have Source 1: Bianet – 21 July 2016 been suspended

167 Academics, 6 Administrative Staff PRISON SENTENCE: 9 years 4 months Suspended at 7 Universities LEGISLATION USED: N/A After YÖK’s statement declaring "legal action to be taken against academic and administrative CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested staff in parallel state formation”, the CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Çanakkale suspensions are continuing. According to the news, 167 academics and six administrative staff CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A at seven universities have been suspended. 157 HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A academics and six administrative staff have been suspended upon the investigation launched into SOURCES: the “parallel state formation”, and 10 academics have been suspended upon the investigation for For information in Turkish: signing the declaration entitled “We won’t be a http://bianet.org/bianet/egitim/176983-yedi- party to this crime.” The Council of Higher universitede-167-akademik-alti-idari-personel- Education (YÖK) announced that the rectors of aciga-alindi Dicle, Yıldız Technical and Yalova Universities also have been suspended. http://bianet.org/bianet/siyaset/177093-eski- rektor-sedat-laciner-ve-6-comu-ogretim-uyesi- Sakarya University: 11 academics have been tutuklandi suspended. https://t24.com.tr/haber/607-gundur-tutuklu- Düzce University: Nine academics have been prof-lacinerden-hasan-cemale-mektup-linc- suspended. edilmeye-alistim-bari-suclamalar-mantikli- Abant İzzet Baysal University: 30 academics and olsun,587634 four administrative staff. http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/eski- rektor-sedat-lacinerin-cezasi-belli-oldu- 40967782

154

SERHAT ŞEFTALİ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A pending the conclusion of their trial, but the three were swiftly arrested again after GENDER: Male prosecutors appealed that judgment, CPJ PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Local journalist reported at the time.

DATE of ARREST: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2

DETAILS of TRIAL: CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

At least nine journalists and 13 other suspects CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A went on trial in the Mediterranean city of HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Antalya yesterday, the local news website Antalya Körfez reported. The journalists stand SOURCES: accused of preparing the ground for July's failed For more information in Turkish: coup attempt on behalf of the Hizmet movement--or FETÖ, as the government calls it- https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- -through their reporting. A court had on April 1 gazetesi-antalya-muhabiri-serhat-seftali-feto- ordered the release of journalists Tuncer uyeliginden-15-yila-kadar-hapis-cezasi-istemi- Çetinkaya, Serhat Şeftali, and Olgun Matur ile-yargilaniyor/

155

SERKAN AYDEMİR

DATE of BIRTH: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

GENDER: Male LEGISLATION USED: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: reporter for CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Bitlis Aktüel CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Bitlis E-Type DATE of ARREST: 13 February, 2016 Prison

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

DETAILS of TRIAL: HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) SOURCES:

Serkan Aydemir, a reporter for Bitlis Aktüel, was For more information in English: arrested on Feb. 13, 2016 following a police For information in Turkish: operation in the Tatvan district of Bitlis, in southeastern Turkey. He was transferred to the Bitlis For information in Kurdish: E-type prison on allegations of supporting a terrorist organisation.

156

SERTAN ÖNAL

DATE of BIRTH: N/A by an Istanbul court, the magazine reported on February 25. Önal, who was taken into custody GENDER: Male by police on February 23 in the Gazi WIKIPEDIA ENTRY: neighborhood in Istanbul’s Sultangazi district, was initially sent to Metris Prison to be later PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Dersim transferred to Silivri. The grounds for his arrest correspondent of Halkın Günlüğü newspaper included the Newroz celebrations he attended to DATE of ARREST: 24 February 2018 cover as a reporter.

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

DETAILS of TRIAL: LEGISLATION USED: N/A

Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

Sertan Önal, Dersim correspondent of Halkın CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Metris Prison, Günlüğü newspaper, was arrested on February İstanbul 24, 2018 over his reporting in Dersim province CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A during Newroz celebrations – the New Year’s Day celebration in Kurdish culture, as the first HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A day of spring. Önal was detained in Istanbul by SOURCES: the police and taken to the Metris Prison, Istanbul. For more information in Turkish:

Source 2: Expression Interrupted https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust u-halde-gazeteciler-140/ Sertan Önal, a local reporter based in Tunceli for the magazine Halkın Günlüğü, was sent to prison

157

SEYİD KILIÇ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A objected to the release of eight of them and the release order for the other 13 was blocked hours GENDER: Male later. The defendants – with the exception of WIKIPEDIA ENTRY: No Akkuş, who was freed after having been imprisoned since July 30, 2016 – remained PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Turkish Radio behind bars and the judges who made the order and Television Network (TRT) were suspended. Prosecutors later brought new DATE of ARREST: 30 July 2016 charges against 13 of the journalists on charges of trying to overthrow the government and the DETAILS of ARREST: N/A constitutional order. Those facing the new DETAILS of TRIAL: charges include Cihan Acar, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Akkuş, Aksoy, Aydın, Çetin, Çulhaoğlu, Abdullah Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) Kılıç, Seyid Kılıç, Köseli, Taş, Usluer and Yıldız.

Seyid Kılıç, from TRT Haber, was ordered Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) arrested on July 30, 2016 as part of a purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.-based cleric An Istanbul court ordered Seyid Kılıç, a Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government production technician for news and radio accuses of having established a “parallel state channels of the state broadcaster TRT, to be structure” and who it blames for the failed July detained pending trial on July 29, 2016, 15, 2016 coup attempt. Kılıç is one of 29 according to the indictment on his case and that journalists charged in a case accusing them of of several other journalists rounded up as part of having been part of the Gülen movement’s a sweeping purge of suspected followers of “media wing”. They face up to 10 years in prison exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen. The Turkish if convicted. As of May 2, 2017, other journalists government accuses Gülen of maintaining a imprisoned in connection with the case include terrorist organization and "parallel state Abdullah Kılıç, Ahmet Memiş, Atilla Taş, Bayram structure" (FETÖ/PDY, as the government calls it) Kaya, Bünyamin Köseli, Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, within Turkey and alleges that it masterminded Cihan Acar, Cuma Ulus, Emre Soncan, Gökçe a failed July 2016 military coup. CPJ was unable Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Habib Güler, Halil İbrahim Balta, to determine the date Kılıç was first taken into Hanım Büşra Erdal, Hüseyin Aydın, Murat Aksoy, custody. When the trial started in March 2017, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Mutlu Çölgeçen, Oğuz an Istanbul court ordered Kılıç and several of the Usluer, Ufuk Şanlı, Ünal Tanık, Yakup Çetin and other journalists with whom he was being tried Yetkin Yıldız. Six other journalists face charges in to be released while the case was heard. the case, including Ali Akkuş, Bülent Ceyhan, However, authorities brought fresh charges and Davut Aydın, Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu, the journalists were ordered to remain in Muhterem Tanık and Said Sefa, the latter of custody, according to reports. Authorities whom reportedly had fled the country. On ordered an investigation into the judges who had March 31, 2017 a court in Turkey ordered 21 of ordered the release and they were relieved of the imprisoned defendants released duty, according to reports. In the original conditionally, but prosecutors successfully indictment, all but one of the co-accused were charged with “being a member of an armed

158

[terrorist] organization,” which carries up to 10 why traveling abroad was significant. An Istanbul years in prison. The second indictment listed the court on March 8, 2018, found Kılıç and at least charges as “attempting, through violence and 21 of the other journalists on trial guilty of "being force, to disrupt and replace the order as a member of a [terrorist] organization,” and recognized by Turkey’s Constitution” and sentenced Kılıç to seven years and six months in “attempting through violence and force to prison, according to reports. The court acquitted eliminate or prevent Parliament from carrying all the defendants of the more serious coup- out its duties.” Both charges carry a maximum related charges in the second indictment. At life sentence without parole. CPJ found both least 18 of the journalists were sent to prison for indictments to be similar to those presented at varying prison terms. Two of them-- Atilla Taş trials of other journalists in Turkey. Prosecutors and Murat Aksoy—were sentenced and released cited as evidence in these cases journalistic for time served, and the journalists Bünyamin activity or acts of free speech and Köseli and Cihan Acar remain free pending the communication, or cited circumstantial evidence appeal, according to reports. Lawyers for the such as being employed by a certain media journalists told CPJ they are appealing the outlet or having an account at a bank allegedly verdict. As of late 2018, Kılıç was detained at linked to Gülenists. The first indictment accused Silivri Prison in Istanbul. the defendants of manipulating the public PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months perception of FETÖ to turn citizens against the government, which prosecutors argued, made LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 the journalists members of the group that Turkey alleges is behind the attempted coup. CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested The second indictment, which was presented as CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison, an addition to the original case, argued that the İstanbul journalists should be held responsible for more than alleged membership to the group. CONDITIONS of DETENTION: Prosecutors presented as evidence against Kılıç a Information on his conditions of detention and post that he wrote on his blog Haberinnotu in health concerns can be found in a questionnaire September 2014, in which he praised a pro- by Platform 24 (P24). Gülen charity; his social media activity; and his account at Bank Asya, which the government The Turkish version of the questionnaire is alleged was a Gülenist institution. The second available here. indictment listed as evidence the bank; Kılıç's HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A mobile phone activity; his travel abroad; and communication records with people who were SOURCES: wanted or were on trial for alleged Gülenist For more information in English: activity. Some of these people had the Bylock app on their phones, according to the https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- authorities, who say the application is of being a in-state-of-emergency-57/ FETÖ member. Kılıç had the app installed on his phone, according to the indictment. It also said https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- in-state-of-emergency-86/ that Kılıç was associated with Gülenists through his past employment by an outlet owned by https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- Samanyolu media. The indictment did not state in-state-of-emergency-99/

159 https://expressioninterrupted.com/25- 4- http://bianet.org/bianet/toplum/18502 journalists-handed-prison-sentences/ 3-savci-13-gazeteciye-tahliye-istedi 5- http://bianet.org/bianet/medya/18505 https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- 8-21-gazeteciye-tahliye expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-162/ 6- http://bianet.org/bianet/hukuk/185067 For more information in Turkish: -tahliye-edilen-gazetecilere-gozalti- karari https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- 7- http://bianet.org/bianet/hukuk/185511 seyit-kilica-orgut-uyeliginden-6-yil-3-ay-hapis- -tahliyenin-ardindan-gozaltina-alinan- cezasi-verildi/ 12-gazeteci-tutuklandi Regarding the trial: 8- http://bianet.org/bianet/insan- haklari/194623-medya-yapilanmasi- 1- http://bianet.org/bianet/insan- davasinda-tahliye-yok-karar-mart-a- haklari/177122-42-gazeteci-hakkinda- kaldi gozalti-karari 9- http://bianet.org/bianet/insan- 2- http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- haklari/194548-28-gazetecinin- ozgurlugu/177357-17-gazeteci- yargilandigi-feto-medya-yapilanmasi- tutuklandi davasinda-karar-aciklandi 3- http://bianet.org/bianet/insan- haklari/184871-29-gazeteci-ve-yazarin- feto-uyeligi-iddiasiyla-yargilandigi-dava- basladi

160

SEYİTHAN AKYÜZ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A cited as evidence his possession of banned newspapers and his presence at a May Day GENDER: Male demonstration in İzmir. He was later convicted of PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Adana membership in an armed terrorist organization, representative for the pro-Kurdish Azadiya the PKK. Authorities publicly claim that the pro- Welat newspaper Kurdish media are aligned with the PKK and the KCK. The government says the journalists DATE of ARREST: 2009 produce propaganda in favor of the banned DETAILS of ARREST: N/A organizations. A 2012 trial in Adana made national news when the judge refused to allow DETAILS of TRIAL: Akyüz and other defendants to offer statements Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) in their native Kurdish. In his March 2016 letter to Bianet, the journalist said he was never Seyithan Akyüz, Adana representative for the allowed to testify in court. A June 2014 report by pro-Kurdish Azadiya Welat newspaper, was the Organization for Security and Cooperation in arrested in 2009. He was convicted over alleged Europe (OSCE) also found that court officials links to outlawed Kurdish militant groups and is withheld case documents from Akyüz's lawyer currently serving a sentence of 22 years, six for more than a year. In late 2016, Akyüz’s lawyer months in prison. said the journalist was waiting for Turkey's Constitutional Court to decide whether it would Source 2: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) hear an appeal in his case. In September 2018, Akyüz, the Adana correspondent for the now Akyüz’s lawyer Vedat Özkan told CPJ that the shuttered Kurdish-language daily Azadiya Welat Constitutional Court rejected his appeal. The (Homeland's Freedom), is serving a 12-year term lawyer said the journalist had no known health at Diyarbakır Prison. According to a letter he sent problems. to the independent news website Bianet in PRISON SENTENCE: 22 years and 6 months March 2016, in addition to his reporting job with Azadiya Welat, the journalist was helping with LEGISLATION USED: N/A the newspaper's distribution as well as the distribution of another pro-Kurdish daily, Özgur CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Gündem, in the region. Occasionally, the letter CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A said, Akyüz reported for the pro-Kurdish Dicle News Agency, in Kurdish. All three media outlets CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A were shut down on October 29, 2016, by an HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A emergency decree that accused them of having ties to terrorist organizations and representing a SOURCES: threat to national security. Akyüz was initially For more information in English: charged with aiding the banned Union of Communities in Kurdistan, or KCK, an umbrella https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- group of pro-Kurdish organizations that includes in-state-of-emergency-87/ the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK. Authorities

161

For more information in Turkish: http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- ozgurlugu/118799-radyocu-karavil-ve-gazeteci- http://bianet.org/bianet/insan-haklari/171372- akyuz-tutuklandilar seyithan-akyuz-kurtce-iyi-hali-engelledi

162

SONER KARABULUT

DATE of BIRTH: N/A released with others on May 15, according to a leftist Etkin News Agency (ETHA) report. GENDER: Male PRISON SENTENCE: N/A PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Fersude Newspaper LEGISLATION USED: N/A

DATE of ARREST: N/A CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

DETAILS of TRIAL: CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

Soner Karabulut, a reporter for the leftist news SOURCES: website Gazete Fersude, was taken into custody For more information in English: during house raids by the police in the Gazi neighbourhood, on May 14, his employer https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- reported. The journalist was detained alongside expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-191/ members of the leftist political party ESP (the Socialist Party of the Oppressed). Karabulut was https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-215/

163

ŞAHABETTİN DEMİR

DATE of BIRTH: N/A journalist in a statement given to the prosecutor. At trial, the couple said the brothers had not GENDER: Male attacked them. The extent of the injuries was PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for also in dispute at trial. Authorities introduced a Dicle News Agency medical report that described the cousin’s injuries as life-threatening, although the defense DATE of ARREST: N/A disputed the accuracy of the account. (The DETAILS of ARREST: N/A cousin’s wife, by all accounts, suffered minor injuries.) Despite the inconsistencies, the court DETAILS of TRIAL: found all three brothers guilty. In its ruling, the Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) court cited a wiretapped phone conversation between Demir’s two brothers in which they Demir, a reporter for the pro-Kurdish Dicle News referred to having been involved in a physical Agency, or DİHA, in the eastern city of Van, was altercation. Yolyapan said his client believes he serving a sentence of 11 years and one month at was targeted in reprisal for his reporting, which Bitlis E Type Prison on charges of attempted included coverage of four police officers accused murder, assault with a weapon, and trespassing. of raping a girl in Erciş. Police, he said, The case was pending before the Supreme Court threatened Demir with retaliation after the story of Appeals in mid-2012. Demir was convicted was published. Demir had been previously along with two of his brothers after a reported convicted of producing propaganda for the fight with two relatives, according to defense Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, and sentenced lawyer Aydoğan Yolyapan. A cousin of Demir and to four years. That case was also pending before the cousin’s wife suffered injuries in the the Supreme Court of Appeals. altercation. Several aspects of the case were in dispute at trial, according to Yolyapan and court PRISON SENTENCE: 11 years and 1 month records. Demir not only denied involvement in LEGISLATION USED: N/A the altercation, he said he was not present at the scene. One brother also denied involvement; the CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested second acknowledged being at the scene but CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Bitlis E Type denied any criminal culpability. The cousin and Prison his wife gave shifting and contradictory statements to authorities over time, court CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A records show. In his initial statement to police, HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A the cousin did not identify Şahabettin Demir as an assailant, although he later named the

164

ŞEREF YILMAZ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Faruk Akkan, Hakan Taşdelen, Hüseyin Turan, İbrahim Karayeğen, Mehmet Özdemir, GENDER: Male Mümtazer Türköne, Murat Avcıoğlu, Mustafa PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Board member Ünal, Şahin Alpay and Zafer Özsoy. for Irmak TV PRISON SENTENCE: N/A DATE of ARREST: 5 August 2016 LEGISLATION USED: Turkish Criminal Law 314/2 DETAILS of ARREST: N/A CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested DETAILS of TRIAL: CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A Şeref Yılmaz, a board member for Irmak TV, was HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A ordered arrested on Aug. 5, 2016 as part of the government purge of individuals accused of SOURCES: spreading propaganda for the outlawed For more information in English: movement headed by U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of https://cpj.org/blog/2016/08/turkey- having established a “parallel state structure” crackdown-chronicle-week-of-july-31.php and who it blames for the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt. On April 27, 2017, an Istanbul https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- court accepted an indictment against Yılmaz and in-state-of-emergency-90/ 29 other former Zaman Media Group employees https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- that accuses them of attempting to overthrow in-state-of-emergency-91/ the government, the Constitution and Parliament, and which seeks three consecutive https://expressioninterrupted.com/prosecutor- life sentences for each suspect. The indictment seeks-aggravated-life-imprisonment-for-zaman- also seeks another 15 years for each suspect on columnists/ charges of being members of a terrorist https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- organisation. The indictment alleges that Zaman, in-state-of-emergency-138/ which was founded in 1986, was fully taken over by the Gülen movement the following year and https://expressioninterrupted.com/court- was able to continue operating only due to the convicts-10-suspects-separated-from-zaman- group’s financial support. It also accuses the trial/ group of “using the media as a weapon” to For more information in Turkish: “manipulate society”, and alleges that Zaman employed “columnists with ideas that could 1- https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/ser have supported the organization”. As of April 28, ef-yilmaz-orgut-uyeliginden- 2017, other journalists imprisoned in the case yargilaniyor/ include Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, Ahmet Turan Alkan, Alaattin Güner, Ali Bulaç, Cuma Kaya,

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2- http://bianet.org/bianet/toplum/17721 6- http://bianet.org/bianet/medya/18990 0-zaman-in-eski-kadrosundan-47- 2-zaman-davasinin-ilk-durusmasinda- gazeteciye-gozalti-karari saniklar-savunma-yapiyor 3- http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- 7- http://bianet.org/bianet/medya/19228 ozgurlugu/185368-30-gazeteci-ve- 3-zaman-davasinda-ikinci-durusma yazar-icin-darbeye-tesebbusten- 8- http://bianet.org/bianet/medya/19228 iddianame-duzenlendi 5-zaman-davasinda-uc-tahliye 4- http://bianet.org/bianet/medya/18598 9- http://bianet.org/bianet/ifade- 7-zaman-gazetesi-iddianamesi-kabul- ozgurlugu/198939-zaman-davasinda- edildi-ilk-durusma-18-eylul-de karar-6-gazeteciye-hapis-cezasi 5- http://bianet.org/bianet/medya/18990 1-30-gazetecinin-yargilandigi-zaman- davasi-basliyor

166

TURGUT USUL

DATE of BIRTH: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

GENDER: Male LEGISLATION USED: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Anchorman CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

DATE of ARREST: 4 January 2018 CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Unclear

DETAILS of ARREST: CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

Turgut Usul, former anchorman of state-owned SOURCES: broadcaster TRT, was arrested on Jan. 4, 2018 on For more information in English: charges of “membership in a terrorist organisation”. Usul had been brought to an P24 Ankara court to testify on the same day on https://expressioninterrupted.com/journalists- accusations of alleged links to U.S.-based cleric in-state-of-emergency-108/ Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of having established a “parallel state For more information in Turkish: structure” and of having mastermind the failed https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust July 15, 2016 coup attempt. The court ordered u-halde-gazeteciler-124/ his arrest based on charges of “membership in https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/trt-eski- FETÖ terrorist organisation”. Usul had previously muhabiri-turgut-usul-feto-uyeligi-suclamasiyla- been dismissed from his position at TRT with a tutuklandi/ decree-law.

DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A

167

UFUK ŞANLI

DATE of BIRTH: N/A The second hearing ıf the case was held on April 27, 2017, at İstanbul’s Çağlayan Courthouse. All GENDER: Male three judges of the trial court and the prosecutor PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Columnist/op- of the case were suspended after the court ed contributor decided to release 21 of the 26 suspects under detention at the end of the first hearing. DATE of ARREST: 27 July 2016 The new judges of the case decided at the end of DETAILS of ARREST: the second hearing to keep all detained Source 1: Expression Interrupted defendants under detention and adjourned the trial until July 6, 2017. Ufuk Şanlı, a business journalist for a number of media outlets including Zaman and Vatan dailies At the end of the trial, on March 8, 2018, the and a contributor to Al-Monitor, was arrested on court convicted 25 journalists standing trial in July 27 as part of a sweeping crackdown on the case, including Şanlı, of terrorism-related journalists suspected of being followers of charges. Şanlı and 11 other co-defendants were Fethullah Gülen, an exiled preacher whom the convicted of “membership in an armed terrorist government accuses of maintaining a “parallel organization” and sentenced to 7.5 years in state structure” and an armed terrorist prison. The court said in its verdict that their organization, “FETÖ/PDY.” In the indictment “actions and intent required a higher sentence against them, Şanlı and 28 others were formally than the lower limit set by the law.” The court charged with “membership of an armed terrorist also ruled for the continuation of detention of organization,” carrying a prison term of up to 15 the imprisoned defendants in the case. years. In October, the appeals against prison sentences DETAILS of TRIAL: given to 25 defendants in the case were rejected by an appellate court. The 2nd Criminal Chamber Source 1: Expression Interrupted of the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice The first hearing of the trial was held in late rendered its decision on 22 October. The court March 2017. At the end of the five-day hearing, made the ruling without a public hearing despite the 25th High Criminal Court of Istanbul decided defense lawyers’ requests for a hearing. The to release 21 of the 26 suspects under detention appellate court also ruled for the continuation of while ruling to keep Şanlı and four other suspects detention of all jailed defendants in the case. in detention. However, all of the 21 suspects Convictions against the journalists are now were rearrested before they left the prison expected to be taken to the Supreme Court of compound late at night on March 31. Thirteen Appeals. suspects whose release was sought by the prosecutor were arrested as part of a new PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 5 months investigation, this time on coup charges, and LEGISLATION USED: Membership of a terrorist eight others were detained upon a successful organization appeal from the prosecutor against their release. CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

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CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri Prison https://freeturkeyjournalists.ipi.media/cases- 2/ CONDITIONS of DETENTION: Committee to Protect Journalists: Information on his conditions of detention and health concerns can be found in a questionnaire https://cpj.org/data/people/ufuk-sanli/ by Platform 24 (P24). For more information in Turkish: The Turkish version of the questionnaire is https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- available here. ufuk-sanliya-orgut-uyeliginden-7-yil-6-ay-hapis- HEALTH CONCERNS: See questionnaire above. cezasi-verildi/

SOURCES: https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/ufuk- sanli-2/ For more information in English:

International Press Institute:

169

ÜNAL TANIK

DATE of BIRTH: N/A perception of FETÖ to turn citizens against the government, which prosecutors argued made GENDER: Male them members of the group that Turkey alleges PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor is behind the attempted coup. Prosecutors cited as evidence against Tanık content published on DATE of ARREST: 17 January 2017 his website about an anonymous pro-Gülen DETAILS of ARREST: Twitter whistleblower known as @fuatavni, and his account with Bank Asya, which the Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) government alleged to be a Gülenist institution. Police detained Tanık, chief editor of the news When the trial started in March 2017, an Istanbul website Rotahaber, in the western province of court ordered Tanık and four of his co-accused to Yalova on January 17, 2017, according to press be detained for the duration of the trial, reports. The following day, an Istanbul court according to news reports. An Istanbul court on ordered him to be jailed pending trial as part of March 8, 2018, found Tanık and at least 21 of the Turkey’s sweeping purge of suspected followers other journalists on trial guilty of “being a of exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, according member of a [terrorist] organization,” and to press reports. The government accuses Gülen sentenced Tanık to seven years and six months of maintaining a terrorist organization and in prison, according to reports. The court "parallel state structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the acquitted all the defendants of the more serious government calls it) within Turkey that it blames coup-related charges in the second indictment. for orchestrating a failed July 15, 2016, military At least 18 of the journalists were sent to prison coup. for varying prison terms. Two of them-- Atilla Taş and Murat Aksoy—were sentenced and released DETAILS of TRIAL: for time served, and the journalists Bünyamin Köseli and Cihan Acar remain free pending the Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) appeal, according to reports. Tanık stood trial with several other journalists arrested after the failed attempted coup in July PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months 2016. All but one of them were charged with “being a member of an armed [terrorist] LEGISLATION USED: Membership of a terrorist organization,” which carries up to 10 years in organization prison, according to the indictment. CPJ found the indictment to be similar to those presented CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested at trials of other journalists in Turkey. Prosecutors cited as evidence in these cases CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri prison journalistic activity or acts of free speech and communication, or cited circumstantial evidence CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A such as being employed by a certain media outlet or having an account at a bank allegedly HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A linked to Gulenists.The indictment accused the defendants of manipulating the public SOURCES:

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For more information in English: https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust u-halde-gazeteciler-85/ https://freeturkeyjournalists.ipi.media/cases-2/ https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust https://expressioninterrupted.com/freedom-of- u-halde-gazeteciler-86/ expression-and-the-press-in-turkey-162/ https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust For more information in Turkish: u-halde-gazeteciler-114/ https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/gazeteci- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/26- unal-tanika-orgut-uyeliginden-6-yil-3-ay-hapis- sanikli-medya-davasinda-karar-marta-ertelendi/ cezasi-verildi/ https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/26- https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/rota-haber- sanikli-medya-davasinda-25-gazeteciye-hapis- haber-sitesi-yayin-yonetmeni-unal-tanik- cezasi/ gozaltina-alindi/ https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/turkiyede -basin-ve-ifade-ozgurlugu-179/

171

VAHİT YAZGAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) GENDER: Male

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Internet Yazgan's trial on a charge of “leading a terrorist Reporter, Print reporter organization” started in Izmir on July 1, 2017, according to reports by the right-wing Ihlas DATE of ARREST: 8 August 2016 News Agency (IHA), which described the journalist as “a former Aegean region DETAILS of ARREST: representative for the daily Zaman.” The Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) indictment said that Yazgan helped members of FETÖ infiltrate Izmir police and the local Police detained Vahit Yazgan, the former Izmir organization of the nationalist Great Union Province correspondent for the now-shuttered Party (BBP), and that he managed FETÖ/PDY’s daily newspaper Zaman, in the coastal city of infiltration of businessmen in the province, Izmir on August 8, 2016, according to court according to the IHA report. A former BBP documents and his lawyer. Izmir's Fourth Court politician testified that in 2014, Yazgan said that of Penal Peace on August 25, 2016, ordered the the “Hizmet movement,” the official name of journalist jailed pending trial on charges that he the Gülenists, had failed to appoint a police was a follower of exiled Fethullah Gülen, chief in Izmir whom the group favored, IHA reported. Yazgan denied being a terrorist, according to court documents and his legal according to IHA. The authorities said Yazgan representative. The government accuses Gülen had the Bylock app on his phone, which he of maintaining a terrorist organization and denied, and also cited his bank account at Asya “parallel state structure” (or FETÖ/PDY, as the as evidence, the report said. Authorities allege government calls it) within Turkey that it blames that both use of the Bylock encrypted for orchestrating a failed military coup attempt messaging app and banking at Asya are on July 15, 2016. Police interrogated Yazgan evidence of FETÖ/PDY membership. Yazgan told about his work for the newspaper, according to the court that he had health problems due to records of that interrogation, which CPJ has his continued imprisonment, according to news reviewed. Yazgan told police that he worked as a reports. Details of the health issues were not correspondent for the newspaper until specified. The court refused two requests in government-appointed trustees took over, and 2017 that Yazgan be released pending trial, that he had been unemployed since. He denied according to press reports that cited the official Anatolia News Agency. An Izmir court on having any ties to the Gülenist movement. February 28, 2018, found Yazgan guilty of According to records of his arraignment, which “being a member of a [terrorist] organization” CPJ has also reviewed, he repeated these denials and sentenced the journalist to nine years and before the Izmir court, adding that he was not eight months in prison, according to the pro- religious. government daily Türkiye/

DETAILS of TRIAL: PRISON SENTENCE: 9 years and 8 months

LEGISLATION USED: N/A

172

CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested For more information in English:

CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Buca Kırıklar International Press Institute: Prison in Izmir's Buca District (as of late 2018) https://freeturkeyjournalists.ipi.media/cases-2/ CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A For more information in Turkish: HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/eski-zaman- SOURCES: gazetesi-temsilcisine-hapis-cezasi/1076544

173

YAKUP ÇETİN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A reports. Authorities ordered an investigation into the judges who had ordered the release and GENDER: Male they were relieved of duty, according to reports. PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter for In the original indictment, all but one of the co- Zaman and Yeni Hayat newspapers accused were charged with “being a member of an armed [terrorist] organization,” which carries DATE of ARREST: 29 July 2016 up to 10 years in prison. The second indictment DETAILS of ARREST: listed the charges as “attempting, through violence and force, to disrupt and replace the Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) order as recognized by Turkey’s Constitution” An Istanbul court on July 29, 2016, ordered and “attempting through violence and force to Çetin, a former court reporter for the shuttered eliminate or prevent Parliament from carrying dailies Zaman and Yeni Hayat, to be detained out its duties.” Both charges carry a maximum pending trial as part of a sweeping purge of life sentence without parole.CPJ found both journalists and others suspected of following indictments to be similar to those presented at exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, according to his trials of other journalists in Turkey. Prosecutors indictment. The government accuses Gülen of cited as evidence in these cases journalistic maintaining a terrorist organization and "parallel activity or acts of free speech and state structure" (or FETÖ/PDY, as the communication, or cited circumstantial evidence government calls it) within Turkey that it blames such as being employed by a certain media for orchestrating a failed July 15, 2016, military outlet or having an account at a bank allegedly coup. CPJ could not determine exactly when linked to Gülenists. The first indictment accused police detained Çetin. The state-run Anadolu the defendants of manipulating the public News Agency on July 25, 2016, reported that perception of FETÖ to turn citizens against the authorities had issued a warrant for his arrest. government, which prosecutors argued, made Istanbul's Fifth Court of Penal Peace late on July the journalists members of the group that 29, 2016, arraigned Çetin and 16 other Turkey alleges is behind the attempted coup. journalists, ordering them jailed pending trial on The second indictment, which was presented as charges of "being members of an armed terrorist an addition to the original case, argued that the organization," according to the media journalists should be held responsible for more monitoring group P24. than alleged membership to the group. In Çetin’s case, prosecutors cited as evidence in the first DETAILS of TRIAL: indictment his work and social media activity. The second indictment cited as evidence his Source 1: Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) account with Bank Asya, which the government When the trial started in March 2017, an Istanbul alleged to be a Gülenist institution; his frequent court ordered Çetin and several of the other travel abroad; and his communication records journalists to be released while the case was with people who were wanted or were on trial heard. However, authorities brought fresh for alleged Gülenist activity. Some of these charges and the journalists were ordered to people had the Bylock App on their phones, remain in custody, according to according to authorities, who claim that the app

174 is evidence of being a FETÖ member. Çetin did https://expressioninterrupted.com/25- not have the app installed on his phone, journalists-handed-prison-sentences/ according to the indictment. The indictment did International Press Institute: not specify why traveling abroad was evidence of https://freeturkeyjournalists.ipi.media/cases-2/ wrongdoing. An Istanbul court on March 8, 2018, found Çetin and at least 21 of the other For more information in Turkish: journalists on trial guilty of "being a member of a [terrorist] organization,” and https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zaman- gazetesi-eski-muhabiri-yakup-cetine-orgut- sentenced Çetin to six years and three months in uyeliginden-6-yil-3-ay-hapis-cezasi-verildi/ prison, according to reports. The court acquitted all the defendants of the more serious coup- https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust related charges in the second indictment. At u-halde-gazeteciler-1-2/ least 18 of the journalists were sent to prison for https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust varying prison terms. Two of them-- Atilla Taş u-halde-gazeteciler-56/ and Murat Aksoy—were sentenced and released for time served, and the journalists Bünyamin https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust Köseli and Cihan Acar remain free pending the u-halde-gazeteciler-64/ appeal, according to reports. https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust u-halde-gazeteciler-68/ PRISON SENTENCE: 6 years and 3 months https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust LEGISLATION USED: Membership of a terrorist u-halde-gazeteciler-85/ organization https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested u-halde-gazeteciler-86/ CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Çetin was being https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust held in Istanbul's Silivri Prison as of late 2018 u-halde-gazeteciler-93/ CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/gazetecil erin-darbe-davasinda-ilk-durusma-basladi/ HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust SOURCES: u-halde-gazeteciler-100/ For more information in English: https://expressioninterrupted.com/tr/olaganust u-halde-gazeteciler-114/

175

YALÇIN GÜLER

DATE of BIRTH: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A

GENDER: Male PRISON SENTENCE: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter LEGISLATION USED: N/A

DATE of ARREST: 19 August 2016 CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

DETAILS of ARREST: CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

Yalçın Güler, with state-owned Turkish Radio and HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Television Network (TRT) in Erzurum, was SOURCES: ordered arrested on Aug. 19, 2016 as part of a purge of journalists allegedly linked to U.S.- For more information in English: based cleric Fethullah Gülen, who Turkey’s government accuses of having established a For information in Turkish: “parallel state structure” and who it blames for For information in Kurdish: the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt.

176

YETKİN YILDIZ

DATE of BIRTH: N/A managing an armed terrorist organization.” The first hearing of the trial was held from 27 to 31 GENDER: Male March 2017 at the Istanbul 25th High Criminal PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor Court. Delivering his defense statement on 30 March, Yıldız told the court that all press DATE of ARREST: 22 July 2019 establishments had published news stories DETAILS of ARREST: about the posts by the Twitter account called “fuatavni” but only a specific group of people Source 1: Expression Interrupted were standing trial over their reporting. Yıldız Yetkin Yıldız, the former editor-in-chief of the said the allegations against him in the 190-page news website Aktif Haber, was arrested on 22 indictment covered only half a page. He said the July 2016 as part of an investigation into “Fuat allegations were that he published news on Fuat Avni” a twitter handle that was active between Avni and had TL 2,300 in a BankAsya account.” 2014-2017 and that claimed to belong to an Yıldız requested to be released and acquitted. anonymous Ankara-insider leaking confidential Submitting an interim opinion at the end of the information on the doings of the Justice and five-day hearing, on 31 March 2017, the Development Party (AKP). Yıldız was allegedly prosecutor asked the court to release journalists aiming to lay the groundworks for the July 2016 Yetkin Yıldız, Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Murat coup attempt by way of “manipulating public Aksoy, Atilla Taş, Yakup Çetin, Abdullah Kılıç, opinion,” “degrading state officials,” degrading Seyid Kılıç, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Hüseyin Aydın, state institutions” through social media on Ali Akkuş, Bünyamin Köseli, Cihan Acar and Oğuz behalf of FETÖ/PYD (Fethullahist Terrorist Usluer pending trial, taking into consideration Organization/Parallel State Structure). After the amount of time the defendants had already three days in custody, Yıldız was brought to the spent behind bars. In its interim ruling at the end Istanbul Courthouse on 24 July 2016, where he of the hearing, the court ruled to release 21 appeared before the 2nd Criminal Judgeship of defendants including Yetkin Yıldız pending trial, Peace. The judgeship jailed Yıldız pending trial releasing eight other defendants in addition to and sent him to the Silivri Prison. 13 names whom the prosecutor asked the court to release. The court adjourned the trial until 27 DETAILS of TRIAL: April 2017. However, on the same day, the prosecutor filed an objection with the next court Source 1: Expression Interrupted of first instance against the trial court’s decision The indictment against Yıldız was prepared on 16 to release the eight other defendants. The 26th January 2017, around six months after his arrest, High Criminal Court of Istanbul accepted the and on 13 February 2017, the 25th High Criminal objection and ordered the arrests of these Court of Istanbul took up his case. In the defendants. Again on the same day, the Istanbul indictment against 29 defendants, most of Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched a whom were journalists, Yıldız was charged with “coup” investigation and issued arrest warrants “attempting to overthrow the Government of against the 13 defendants whom the prosecutor the Republic of Turkey or preventing it from asked the court to release pending trial, fulfilling its duties,” and “establishing and including Yetkin Yıldız.

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Rearrest Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor sent the indictment to the 25th High Criminal Court of Yıldız and the 12 other defendants who were Istanbul for the case to be merged with the supposed to be released were arrested outside ongoing “FETÖ media trial” against 29 the prison upon the order of the Chief Public defendants. The court set 16-18 August 2017 as Prosecutor’s Office and taken to the Istanbul the dates for the next hearing. The third hearing Police Department. The reasons for arrest were in the “FETÖ media trial” against 29 defendants listed as “the existing evidence against the took place on 6 July 2017 at the 25th High suspects, the nature of the alleged crime, and Criminal Court of Istanbul. The court panel that flight risk.” Yıldız and 12 other defendants were had changed for the third time ruled for the brought to the Istanbul Courthouse on 14 April continuation of the pre-trial detention of all 2017 after spending 15 days in custody. They jailed defendants in the case and the trial was appeared before the 12th Istanbul Criminal adjourned until 24 October 2017. Judgeship of Peace, which jailed Yıldız and 11 other journalists (Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Yakup “Coup” case merged with ongoing trial Çetin, Bünyamin Köseli, Cihan Acar, Abdullah The first hearing in the trial where Yıldız and 12 Kılıç, Oğuz Usluer, Atilla Taş, Hüseyin Aydın, other defendants were accused of “attempting Murat Aksoy, Mustafa Erkan Acar, Seyid Kılıç) to abolish, replace or prevent the pending trial on the charge of “attempting to implementation of the Constitutional Order of overthrow the constitutional order.” Journalist the Republic of Turkey” and “attempting to Ali Akkuş was freed under judicial control overthrow the Government of the Republic of measures. Following its release order, the panel Turkey” took place on 16, 17 and 18 August 2017 of the 25th High Criminal Court of Istanbul at the 25th High Criminal Court of Istanbul. (presiding judge İbrahim Lorasdağı and judges Making his defense statement at the hearing, Barış Cömert and Necla Yeşilyurt Gülbiçim) and Yıldız told the court that he was accused of prosecutor Göksel Turan, were suspended on 3 “membership in a terrorist organization” in one April 2017 by the Council of Judges and case, for “instigating the coup” in another, even Prosecutors (HSYK). The second hearing in the though the indictments of the two cases were trial was held on 27 April 2017. The 25th High practically the same. Yıldız requested to be Criminal Court of Istanbul heard defense acquitted. At the end of the three-day hearing, statements by Yıldız and his co-defendants, who the court ordered the release of Bünyamin Köseli requested to be released. Rejecting the and Cihan Acar under travel bans while it also requests, the court adjourned the trial until 6 ruled for the continuation of the imprisonment July 2017. of Yıldız and the other defendants in pre-trial Second indictment detention. The court also decided to merge the “coup” case with the “terrorist group A new indictment was prepared over the “coup” membership” case. The merged case was allegation on 6 June 2017 against Yıldız and 12 therefore adjourned until 24 October 2017. The other journalists who were rearrested after first hearing after the cases were merged took being released. The 314-page indictment sought place on 24 October 2017. While ruling for the two aggravated life imprisonment sentences for release of defendants Murat Aksoy, Atilla Taş the 13 journalists including Yıldız on the charges and teacher Davut Aydın, the court refused to of “attempting to overthrow the constitutional release Yıldız and the other defendants. The order” and “attempting to overthrow the court adjourned the trial until 4 December 2017. government of the Republic of Turkey.” The

178

At the hearing held on that date the court again sentenced Yıldız to 7 years and 6 months in rejected Yıldız’s request to be released and set 6 prison. The court also ruled for the continuation February 2018 as the date for the next hearing of “the detention on remand” of all the detained to allow time for the completion of the file. defendants.

“Coup” charge dropped Appellate court decision

Presenting his final opinion at the hearing that An appellate court upheld the prison sentences took place on 6 February 2018, the prosecutor given to the 25 defendants including Yetkin Yıldız requested the charge of “attempting to on 22 October 2018. Rejecting the appeal overthrow the constitutional order” against 13 requests, the 2nd Criminal Chamber of the defendants including Yıldız to be dropped. On Istanbul Regional Court of Justice also ruled for the other hand, the prosecutor requested all the the continuation of the imprisonment of the defendants except Murat Aksoy, Gökçe Fırat detained defendants. Due to Yıldız being Çulhaoğlu and Muhterem Tanık to be sentenced sentenced to more than five years in prison, the over “membership in FETÖ/PDY” and for all the case file was transferred to the Supreme Court. defendants previously released in the case to be Other cases against Yıldız re-arrested. Announcing its interim decision at the end of the hearing, the court ruled for Upon the complaint of a presiding judge who İbrahim Balta, the former economics was mentioned in a news story titled “Vakit correspondent of Zaman newspaper, to be gazetesinden şok iddia” (Vakit newspaper makes released under judicial control measures. shocking claim) published on the website Granting additional time for the preparation of Stratejik Boyut, at the time when Yıldız was the the final defense statements, the trial was editor-in-chief of the website, a lawsuit was adjourned until 22-23 February 2018. During the launched for alleged “insult” against Yıldız in hearing held on 22 and 23 February 2018, 13 2010. At the end of the prosecution, Yıldız was defendants delivered their final defense sentenced to 10 months in prison over “insult” statements. At the end of the hearing the court by the 35th Criminal Court of First Instance, but ruled for the files of the two suspects at large, the sentence was deferred. Inspecting Yıldız’s Bülent Ceyhan and Said Sefa, to be separated on work, the 1st Criminal Court of First Instance of the grounds that they were accused of “terrorist Silivri decided that Yıldız should be punished on organization membership” in other cases while the charges of “insult” and “provoking the also ordering for the file of detained defendant commission of an offense” for an article that was Emre Soncan be separated and merged with published on the Aktif Haber news website, at another trial against him. As a result, the number the time when he was its editor-in-chief, about of defendants in the case fell from 29 to 26. The the police officers at Silivri Prison. On the trial was adjourned until 7-8 March 2018. grounds that Yıldız had committed a crime before five years passed after his sentence was Verdict deferred, at the hearing held on 9 May 2019, the Yıldız made his final defense statement at the 35th Criminal Court of First Instance of Ankara final hearing on 8 March 2018. Announcing its announced its verdict, sentencing Yıldız to 10 verdict at the end of the hearing, the 25th High years in prison. However, the conviction was Criminal Court of Istanbul convicted 23 postponed for one year. Some of the trials defendants including Yıldız of “membership in an launched against Yıldız over various news stories armed terrorist organization.” The court published on Aktif Haber are ongoing.

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A lawsuit filed against Yıldız upon the complaint December 2019 for the completion of the case of Bülent Akyar, a police officer at the file. Gümüşhane Provincial Security Directorate The Aksaray Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office Department of Anti-Smuggling, stemmed from drafted an indictment against Yıldız over a news an article published on Aktif Haber and other report he wrote on a suicide, which was news websites, titled “Gümüşhane’de polis published on Aktif Haber on 25 June 2015.The esnafı takibe aldı” (police is tracking indictment for that case, dated 26 December shopkeepers in Gümüşhane.) The indictment 2018, requested Yıldız to be sentenced on the prepared by the Gümüşhane Chief Public grounds that according to article 20 of Press Law Prosecutor’s Office on 9 February 2017, number 5187, “those who publish articles which requested Yıldız to be sentenced over “insult, can encourage suicide beyond the limits of illegally obtaining or disseminating someone’s furnishing information on such activities shall be personal data and violating the privacy of sentenced to pay a major fine” and he failed to another person’s personal life.” Access was comply with the first clause of article 75 of the blocked to an article titled “Fuat Avni Suruç Turkish Penal Code which stipulates that the patlaması ile ilgili Twitter’dan çarpıcı mesajlar determined penalty is to be paid within 10 days paylaştı” (Fuat Avni shared shocking posts about of any notification by the Public Prosecutor’s the Suruç bombing on Twitter) which was Office. published on Aktif Haber on 23 July 2015, after the lawyers of Efkan Ala, who was the Interior PRISON SENTENCE: 7 years and 6 months Minister at the time, filed a complaint. On the grounds that the article was not removed LEGISLATION USED: Membership of a terrorist despite access to it having been blocked, the organization Ankara Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested drafted an indictment on 10 September 2018. The indictment requested Yıldız to be punished CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Silivri prison for “failing to comply with the decision of the CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A judiciary to remove the content.” This case is currently overseen by the Ankara Criminal Court HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A of First Instance. SOURCES: Another lawsuit for alleged “insult and slander” For more information in English: was filed upon the complaint of Ala against Yıldız over the same news story. The indictment https://cpj.org/data/people/yakup-cetin/ drafted by Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s https://freeturkeyjournalists.ipi.media/cases-2/ Office on 14 December 2015 sought the For more information in Turkish: punishment of Yıldız on the grounds that the statements made in the news story were https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/aktif- insulting and slanderous. The hearing dated 9 haber-sitesi-yayin-yonetmeni-yetkin-yildiza- July 2019 and overseen by the 31st Criminal orgut-uyeliginden-7-yil-6-ay-hapis-cezasi- Court of First Instance was adjourned until 17 verildi/

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YILMAZ KAHRAMAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A PRISON SENTENCE: 10 years

GENDER: Male LEGISLATION USED: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Editor CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested

DATE of ARREST: 2009 CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Understood to be detained in Silivri F Type Prison DETAILS of ARREST: N/A CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL: HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A Source 1: International Press Institute (IPI) SOURCES: Yılmaz Kahraman, an editor for Özgür Halk, was arrested in 2009. He was convicted over alleged For more information in English: links to outlawed Kurdish militant groups and is For information in Turkish: currently serving a sentence of 10 years in prison. For information in Kurdish:

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ZAFER ÖZCAN

DATE of BIRTH: N/A

GENDER: Male CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: N/A

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: CONDITIONS of DETENTION: N/A

DATE of ARREST: N/A HEALTH CONCERNS: N/A

DETAILS of ARREST: N/A SOURCES:

DETAILS of TRIAL: N/A For more information in Turkish:

PRISON SENTENCE: N/A https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/zafer- ozcan-manisanin-akhisar-ilcesinde-duzenlenen- LEGISLATION USED: N/A feto-operasyonunda-gozaltina-alinip- CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested tutuklandi/

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ZİYA ATAMAN

DATE of BIRTH: 10 March 1989 name listed and asked: “If there are 400-500 names in that notebook, then why is it that only GENDER: Male a dozen are on trial?” Noting that this was PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: Reporter illogical, Ataman stated that his long detention has caused him health problems and demanded DATE of ARREST: 11 April 2016 his acquittal and release. Lawyer Zelal Doğan DETAILS of ARREST: emphasized that her client was a journalist and drew attention to the fact that evidence against Source 1: Media and Law Studies Assocation Ataman is made up of witness testimonies and a Ziya Ataman, an intern reporter for the memo book with his name in it. Another lawyer, shuttered Dicle News Agency (DİHA), was Mücahit Dursun, claimed that the prosecutor’s arrested and jailed pending trial on the charge of final opinion was copy-pasted from the police “membership in a terrorist group” in April 2016 investigation report and the same text was used in the eastern province of Van. Ataman stood for each defendant without any specifications. trial alongside 18 other defendants in a case “This is an attempt to fabricate crimes by using overseen by the 1st High Criminal Court of these defendants. Most of the defendants’ Şırnak. Ataman was charged with eight different homes are burnt down. A lawsuit is filed based offences, including “disrupting the unity and only on a memo book.” Following a brief recess integrity of the state,” “attempting to for deliberation, the court finally announced its intentionally kill a civil servant because of the verdict and sentenced journalist Ataman to 14 public service he performs with premeditation,” years and 3 months in prison for “membership in “intentionally killing a civil a servant because of a terrorist organization” charges. Ataman’s the public service he performs with lawyers will appeal this decision. premeditation,” and “attempting to PRISON SENTENCE: 14 years and 3 months premeditated murder.” LEGISLATION USED: N/A DETAILS of TRIAL: CURRENT LEGAL STATUS: Arrested Source 1: Media and Law Studies Association CURRENT PLACE of DETENTION: Van prison Ziya Ataman attended his 12th hearing on 24 September 2019 via SEGBİS video-conference CONDITIONS of DETENTION: system from Van Closed Prison where he’s been Information on his conditions of detention and held since his initial arrest. Ataman presented his health concerns can be found in a questionnaire defense statement in his native Kurdish. A court by Platform 24 (P24). clerk, who is also a certified translator, was present in the courtroom for translation. The Turkish version of the questionnaire is Ataman stated that he repeats his previous available here. statements and reminded the court that witness HEALTH CONCERNS: See questionnaire above – statements against him were taken under according to IPA news “The journalist has been torture and were later retracted. Ataman also suffering from a chronic digestive system disease mentioned the memo book that allegedly has his

183 that has reportedly deteriorated. Despite the https://www.mlsaturkey.com/en/home/ medical reports by the prison doctor For more information in Turkish: recommending it, Ataman has not been operated on.” https://medyagozlemveritabani.org/khk-ile- kapatilan-dihanin-tutuklu-muhabiri-ziya- SOURCES: atamanin-yargilamasi/ For more information in English: https://ipa.news/2019/09/24/sick-journalist- sentenced-to-more-than-14-years-in-prison/

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LIST OF IMPRISONED JOURNALISTS IN TURKEY

1. Abdulkadir Turay 41. Hasan Bozkurt 2. Abdullah Kılıç 42. Hasan Hüseyin Örs 3. Abdullah Özyurt 43. Hasan Taşar 4. Ahmet Altan 44. Hatice Duman 5. Ahmet Feyzullah Özyurt 45. Hidayet Karaca 6. Ahmet Memiş 46. Hüseyin Aydın 7. Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş 47. İbrahim Halil Öztürkeri 8. Ahmet Yavaş 48. İbrahim Varlık 9. Ali Ahmet Böken 49. İdris Okur 10. Ali Akkuş 50. İsmail Çoban 11. Ali Aşikar 51. İsmail Ersan 12. Ali Ünal 52. İsmail Evren 13. Ali Yüce 53. Kamuran Sunbat 14. Ayşenur Parıldak 54. Kazım Canlan 15. Aytekin Gezici 55. Kenan Karavil 16. Aziz İstegün 56. Mehmet Ali Ay 17. Bayram Kaya 57. Mehmet Ali Genç 18. Beytullah Özdemir 58. Mehmet Baransu 19. Burçin Dokgöz 59. Mehmet Güleş 20. Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu 60. Mehmet Kuru 21. Cuma Ulus 61. Melike Aydın 22. Cüneyt Seza Özkan 62. Metin Arslan 23. Emre Soncan 63. Mikail Barut 24. Ercan Gün 64. Miktat Algül 25. Erdal Süsem 65. Muhammed Sait Kuloğlu 26. Erdal Şen 66. Muhsin Pilgir 27. Erol Yüksel 67. Murat Çapan 28. Erol Zavar 68. Murat Dağdeviren 29. Fahri Öztoprak 69. Mustafa Erkan Acar 30. Faruk Akkan 70. Mustafa Gök 31. Ferhat Çiftçi 71. Mustafa Gökkılıç 32. Fevzi Yazıcı 72. Mustafa Göktaş 33. Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu 73. Mustafa Ünal 34. Gurbet Çakar 74. Mustafa Yayla 35. Habip Güler 75. Mutlu Çölgeçen, Millet 36. Hakan Taşdelen 76. Mutlu Özay 37. Halil İbrahim Mert 77. Mümtazer Türköne 38. Hamit Dilbahar 78. Nadir Yücel 39. Hamza Günerigök 79. Nedim Türfent 40. Hanım Büşra Erdal 80. Nuh Gönültaş

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81. Nuri Durna 98. Seyid Kılıç 82. Nuri Yeşil 99. Seyithan Akyüz 83. Nurullah Kaya 100. Soner Karabulut 84. Oğuz Usluer 101. Şahabettin Demir 85. Osman Yakut 102. Şeref Yılmaz 86. Ömer Oruç 103. Turgut Usul 87. Özcan Keser 104. Ufuk Şanlı 88. Özden Kınık 105. Ünal Tanık 89. Ruken Demir 106. Vahit Yazgan 90. Sadık Topaloğlu 107. Yakup Çetin 91. Sadiye Eser 108. Yalçın Güler 92. Sait Gürkan Tuzlu 109. Yetkin Yıldız 93. Sami Tunca 110. Yılmaz Kahraman 94. Sedat Laçiner 111. Yusuf Topaloğlu 95. Serhat Şeftali 112. Zafer Özcan 96. Serkan Aydemir 113. Ziya Ataman 97. Sertan Önal

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