BİANET

The fifteenth hearing of the main trial of Özgür Gündem newspaper, which was closed by a Statutory Decree, was held at the İstanbul 23rd Heavy Penal Court in İstanbul Çağlayan Courthouse today (January 13).

Announcing his opinion as to the accusations, the prosecutor has demanded that Eren Keskin be penalized for "membership of a terrorist organization" over her four articles as well as the articles and pictures published on the newspaper while she was its editor-in-chief.

The prosecutor has also demanded that İnan Kızılkaya be penalized on charge of "membership of a terrorist organization" over the articles and news published on the newspaper while he was the Managing Editor.

While the prosecutor has demanded that Kemal Sancılı be penalized for "membership of a terrorist organization" as he was the Grant Holder of Özgür Gündem and over her social media messages, he has demanded that Zana (Bilir) Kaya be penalized for "repetitively propagandizing for a terrorist organization in the media" over the articles and news published on the newspaper when she was the Co-Editor-in-Chief.

The prosecutor has also demanded that writer Aslı Erdoğan be sentenced to prison for "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" and that Necmiye Alpay and Bilge Aykut be acquitted of all offenses charged.

It has also been demanded that the files of Filiz Koçali and Ragıp Zarakolu, the other defendants  who have not yet testified, be separated.

Keskin: You see us as enemies

Today's hearing was attended by Human Rights Association (İHD) Co-Chair lawyerEren Keskin and linguist Necmiye Alpay as well as their attornies.

Speaking after the opinion as to the accusations, Eren Keskin said:

"I am now called a 'member of an armed terrorist organization' by the prosecution. It is against the own law of Turkey. It is the practice of enemy law. You see us as enemies. I find it incomprehensible. I want time because, apparently, I am the member of an organization and it is something that I have not been till today. I have to find how I will explain it to you."

Hearing adjourned to February

The attornies of the journalists requested time from the court so that they can prepare their defenses as to the accusations. The court has granted their request and adjourned the hearing to February 14 at 10 a.m.