Journalist gets 5-year prison term in MİT trucks case

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court has sentenced journalist and mayor of Istanbul’s Adalar district Erdem Gül to five years in prison in his retrial for aiding the FETÖ terrorist organization over a piece of news involving images of trucks related to Turkish intel.

He had previously received a five-year sentence for "disclosing information that should remain confidential for the state" in the case of the news involving trucks owned by the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) while serving as the Ankara representative of Cumhuriyet newspaper in 2014. Following the annulment of the initial verdict, Gül's case was separated, leading to an acquittal on charges of "espionage" in 2018, and a dismissal of charges related to "aiding an organization" in 2019.

In the latest hearing on Feb. 28, the court, despite Gül not being deemed a part of the hierarchical structure within the armed terrorist organization, convicted him of "knowingly and willingly aiding the organization" and imposed a five-year prison sentence.

Having served three months in prison previously, Gül now faces an additional two and a half years behind bars if the sentence is upheld.

During his statement, Gül asserted that he would not contest the prosecutor's arguments and denied the allegations, emphasizing, "Because journalism is not a crime."

“I do not accept the accusations in any way because journalism is not a crime. I want to be acquitted, I think I should be acquitted. Let journalism and justice win."