'It is a crime to be a journalist' case against MA editor

  • actual
  • 15:10 22 September 2023
  • |
img
 
ANKARA - 41 pages of the 44-page indictment of detained journalist Sedat Yılmaz consisted of "KCK and secret witness" statements. Yılmaz's trips, hotel stays, phone calls, following news pages, depositing money into his account and not depositing money into his account were also considered crimes.
 
Upon completion of the investigation initiated against 49 people, 5 of whom were detained, including Mezopotamya Agency (MA) editor Sedat Yılmaz, the indictment prepared on July 18 and submitted to the Ankara 28th High Criminal Court was not accepted by the court and was announced on July 27. It was also returned to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
 
In its extradition justification, the court stated that although there was no legal or actual connection between those detained or arrested in the context of the investigation, the investigation was opened and carried out collectively, and that this situation would cause many difficulties in the prosecution process, and requested that the indictment prepared collectively should be prepared according to the person and the allegation.
 
Although the prosecutor's office objected to this situation, the court rejected the objection. The prosecutor's office then filed a separate indictment against journalist Sedat Yılmaz on September 6, on the grounds of "being a member of an organization" and "establishing and managing an organization".
 
A DECISION OF REJECTION OF VENUE WAS MADE
 
The prepared indictment was presented to the same court. However, the 28th High Criminal Court stated that the allegations in the indictment were made in Amed, therefore the indictment should be sent to the Diyarbakır High Criminal Court, and ruled that it made a decision of rejection of venue and sent the indictment to Diyarbakır on September 21.
 
IT IS A CRIME FOR A JOURNALIST TO TALK TO THE JOURNALIST!
 
HTS records of Yılmaz's phone number were also included in the indictment. Attempts were made to make Yılmaz's meetings with his sister Filiz Yılmaz, the journalists he worked with Dicle Müftüoğlu, journalist Mehmet Ali Ertaş, MA editor Özgür Paksoy and many politicians a subject of accusation. While the content of the conversations was not included in the indictment, it was stated that Yılmaz had 2 thousand 176 call-received information. Although all the names in the indictment live in Amed, it was claimed that all of their phones were giving signals from a common base, and this situation was also made the subject of accusation.
 
YILMAZ WAS ACCUSED OF THE PEOPLE IN THE HOTEL
 
In the indictment, it was noted that Yılmaz's phone signal was used in Pîrsûs district of Rîha on September 20, 2014, and that they tried to present it as a crime. Yılmaz's visit there was attributed to PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan's mobilization call to the Kurdish people against ISIS and subsequent calls. It was claimed that Yılmaz went to the border for these calls and to support the YPG. However, any actions or events in which Yılmaz participated were not included. The hotels where Yılmaz stayed were also considered crimes. Although it was claimed that people registered with the "organization" were also staying at the hotels where Yılmaz stayed, the names and surnames of these people and what kind of relationship they had with the organization were not included. In addition, the room in which Yılmaz stayed and the fact that the rooms of these people who were tried to be criminalized were next to each other or close to each other were also tried to be made a subject of accusation. However, it was noteworthy that no data was included regarding Yılmaz's room number and the room numbers of the others or whether they had any contact with each other.
 
MA / Mehmet Aslan

View More Articles

16:57 Urgent demands from TTB for the process
15:10 Suwayda statement from Damascus: Ceasefire declared
15:03 Druze Spiritual Leader: The statement made in our name does not reflect our will
14:43 Damascus forces enter Suwayda: Curfew declared
14:38 Nagehan Avcil from OHD: Recognition of the ‘Right to Hope’ will contribute to the peace process
13:05 Newala Qesaba faces threat of concrete development
11:09 Lawyer following ceremony: Legal reforms must be implemented swiftly
10:04 Peace process is an opportunity to end attacks on nature say ecologists
09:26 Tells PJAK meeting: Freedom is only possible through national unity
09:13 Margaret Owen: No real peace process can until Öcalan is free
08:14 'Democratic Society Meetings' continue
14/07/2025
18:01 14 July resistance fighters commemorated in many cities
17:48 DEM Party Imrali Delegation to meet Minister of Justice
17:00 DEM Party İmralı Delegation's statement on 'meeting note'
15:48 Ahmet Özer released from 'urban concencus' case
15:25 Request of arrest to 3 people beaten for listening to Kurdish song
15:22 Clashes in Suwayda: 37 killed
13:23 High-level meeting between KDP and PUK
11:40 DBP, DEVA, SAADET: Commission and legal process should not be delayed
11:02 Palestine Action banned in the UK: An unjust legislation
10:51 Wan residents to state: We expect official confirmation, not just words
09:00 İmralı delegation's meeting date with political parties announced
08:49 'Democratic Society' meetings continue
08:33 CHP-affiliated Şile Municipality Mayor arrested
13/07/2025
22:13 Statement from DAANES on talks with the Damascus administration
15:58 The duty to build peace lies with all of us says DEM Party Group Deputy Chair
14:03 25 thousand people informed about the ‘Peace and Democratic Society Process’
12:43 People of Amed: We want freedom and equality
11:55 Two of her children joined the PKK: We all have a great burden on our shoulders
11:29 Mother sees her daughter at ceremony after 12 years: We want peace
10:52 IHD Co-chair who followed ceremony: The state has no more excuse
10:33 Women figth for national unity: Goal is national congress
10:03 DEM Party MPs: Parliament should play an active role in solution
09:47 Footage of forest destruction in Besta and Biliga
09:17 Rights defenders received weapons inventory to prepare report
12/07/2025
12:08 Preparoty footage of the historical ceremony
09:55 Weapons destroyed, a historic step towards peace
09:38 95 years have passed since the Zilan Massacre
09:25 People await regulation in Parliament
11/07/2025
20:17 Davutoglu: What we must do now is leading the new era
20:12 I hope this step will bring good results says Erdogan
20:09 Bese Hozat: We took this step with a clear decision
17:07 Echo of historic ceremony in Amed: Demand constitutional guarantees for those who lay down arms
16:51 CHP Chair Ozel: Process must be managed in Parliament with swift and decisive steps
16:27 Names of participants in historical ceremony of PKK
16:15 We reached end of our work on commission says Parliament Speaker
16:04 Peace Mothers: The state has no more excuses, it must take action
15:32 Nechirvan Barzani: Important and encouraging step
14:36 People watch historical ceremony of PKK with rapt attention
14:13 Footage of historic ceremony of PKK