AMED - Evaluating the non-release of journalist Dicle Müftüoğlu, MLSA Co-Director Veysel Ok said: "The court took into account the statements of the confessors to prolong the detention. If there is no statement of the confessor, that indictment is already a registration of journalism."

 

MLSA Co-Director Veysel Ok

 

The first hearing of the case in which Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) CoChair and Mezopotamya Agency (MA) editor Dicle Müftüoğlu is being tried on charges of "being a member of a terrorist organization" and "establishing and managing an organization", citing her professional activities, was held yesterday at Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court. Following Müftüoğlu's defense at the hearing, the prosecutor's office submitted an opinion and requested the continuation of detention. Then lawyer Resul Temur made a defense. After the defense, the court decided to "continue the arrest" without the other lawyers making their defense and without hearing the statements of Müftüoğlu and the lawyers against the opinion. Lawyer Veysel Ok objected to the court's decision. After the decision, Ok made a defense regarding the indictment in order to be recorded. The court decided to continue the detention of DFG CoChair Müftüoğlu and postponed the next hearing to January 18, 2024.

 

'A TRIAL FAR FROM THE LAW'

 

Evaluating the court decision for our agency, Ok said: "After the prosecutor's arrest opinion, in criminal law, it should first be asked whether the defendant has statements or not. Dicle could not make a statement against the arrest. The lawyers could not make a statement and announced the decision. We stated this in court. This is something I have seen for the first time in my personal legal history, perhaps in the history of law. The arrest warrant was announced without the lawyers and the defendant making a defense. It was a trial that was so far from the law. Criminal procedure was not applied in this trial. Despite this, we evaluated the indictment and wanted it to be recorded."

 

CALL FOR THE HEARING OF SEDAT YILMAZ

 

Reminding that MA editor Sedat Yılmaz is also detained and his trial will be held on December 14, Ok said: “In fact, Sedat is no different from Dicle. There is no evidence other than his professional activities, travels and a confessor. He has a hearing next week. What we want from the Ministry of Justice is for judges who know the file to conduct this trial. I invited all international and national institutions to Yılmaz's hearing."

 

MA / Müjdat Can