Release appeal of two prominent journalists rejected for second time

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

DHA photo

An Istanbul court rejected on Dec. 25 an appeal for the release of prominent journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül, who were arrested on terrorism charges, marking the second time such an appeal was rejected.

The Istanbul 2nd Court of Peace refused to release Cumhuriyet Editor-in-Chief Can Dündar and the daily’s Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gül on the grounds that “there has been no new evidence to justify terminating the detention [of Dündar and Gül].”

The journalists’ lawyers had submitted the appeal on Dec. 22.

The Istanbul 7th Court of Peace first rejected an appeal for the release of Dündar and Gül on Dec. 11, on the grounds of the same legislative intention.

Dündar and Gül were arrested on Nov. 26 on charges of aiding an armed terrorist organization and committing political or military espionage over reports in Cumhuriyet on the interception of trucks belonging to the National Intelligence Organization (MİT). The articles claimed that the trucks intercepted in January 2014 were shipping weapons to jihadist groups fighting across the border in Syria.

The Istanbul 7th Court of Peace also dismissed an objection to the arrest of Dündar and Gül filed by their lawyers on Nov. 30.