Istanbul court delivers final verdict on journalists

ISTANBUL- Anadolu Agency

A court in the Turkish city of Istanbul delivered its final verdict on Sept. 9 in the case of eight journalists who were detained in March for allegedly disclosing the identities of members of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT).

The 34th Penal Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice sentenced Yeni Yaşam daily editor Aydın Keser, the newspaper’s executive editor Mehmet Ferhat Çelik and Yeni Çağ newspaper columnist Murat Ağırel to four years, eight months and seven days each.

OdaTV’s editor-in-chief Barış Pehlivan and one of its journalists, Hülya Kılınç, have been sentenced to three years and nine months for disclosing information and documents related to intelligence activity.

The court has ruled for Pehlivan, Kılınç and Ağırel’s release with an international travel ban, considering the time they spent in prison when they were remanded in custody.

The court decided to acquit OdaTV news director Barış Terkoğlu and Eren Ekinci of all crimes. The members of the court reminded that Terkoğlu could demand compensation for the time he was held in prison.

The case of daily Birgun columnist Erk Acarer, a fugitive defendant, has been separated from the main case.