Turkish scribes barred from attending own hearings

ISTANBUL - Doğan News Agency

Mustafa Balbay is seen in his study in this file photo.

Journalists Mustafa Balbay and Tuncay Özkan, who are suspects in the ongoing Ergenekon coup plot case, have been barred from attending their own hearings by the court overseeing the case today.

Balbay and Özkan will not be attending the following 16 hearings in the trial on grounds that that they "disrupted order and discipline in the courthouse."

Politician Doğu Perinçek, who is also a suspect in the Ergenekon case, was barred from the courthouse as well, but his restriction will last until the court reaches a verdict.

Balbay reacted to the court's decision, saying they "did not accept the ruling."