Court releases journalist Müyesser Yıldız

ANKARA

A court in Ankara on Nov. 9 released journalist Müyesser Yıldız pending trial after five months of detention on charges of disclosing state secrets in her articles.

Yıldız, a news editor at the OdaTV online news portal, was detained in June over “political and military espionage” as part of a probe launched by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and was arrested early on June 12.

The articles allegedly gave details about military officers who were sent to Libya to oversee Turkey’s involvement there.

TELE 1 correspondent İsmail Dükel and Erdal Baran, a noncommissioned officer at Turkish Armed Forces, were also detained as part of the probe.

The court ruled for the release of Dükel on the condition of judicial control while arresting Yıldız and Baran due to “the existence of a crime suspicion, the possibility of destroying evidence and the possibility of fleeing.”

The 26th Heavy Penal Court in the capital Ankara on Nov. 9 ordered Yıldız’s release but barred her from leaving the country pending trial while Baran remained in custody.

A group of lawmakers from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) attended the trial of Yıldız and other suspects.

The next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 6.