ANKARA - According to the report of the Cost of Journalism project, at least 58 journalists and media workers were put on trial in October, with requests of prison sentences of up to 896 years.
With the support of the Journalists Association's Media for Democracy/Democracy for the Media, the October report of the Cost of Journalism project, which covers the cases against journalists and rights violations faced by journalists every month, has been announced. In the report, it was stated that October was left behind with trials, pressure, threats and attacks against journalists.
34 HEARINGS
According to the data in the report, at least 58 journalists and media workers appeared in court in 34 separate hearings held in 9 cities in October. While life imprisonment was requested for one journalist, prison sentences from 272 years 6 months up to 896 years 6 months and 15 days were requested for other journalists as well as 200 thousand TL in non-pecuniary damages.
JOURNALISTS ACCUSED OF TERRORISM
Most of the journalists in the report were accused of terrorism under Anti-Terror Law(TMK), 27 of the journalists were accused of 'being a member of a terrorist organisation', 11 were accused of 'propagandizing a terrorist organisation', 7 were accused of 'opposing the law on meetings and demonstrations' and 4 were accused of 'insulting the president'.
10 JOURNALISTS ACQUITTED
According to the report, 10 journalists were acquitted from all charges, and journalists who stood trial in 3 hearings were sentenced to 2 years 5 months and 12 days each as well as 16 thousand 660TL fine.
Emphasizing that the pressure on journalists is not limited to the ongoing trials, the report states that new investigations were launched against 7 journalists in the same period and 2 journalists were detained while they were following news. 4 journalists were psychally attacked and threatened doing their jobs.