TURKEY PUTS KURDISH JOURNALISTS ON TRIAL

tert.am
13.09.12

The first hearing of Turkey’s biggest trial against members of the
press has started, involving 44 journalists, The Guardian reported.

Thirty-six of those have been in pre-trial detention since December,
facing terrorism charges and accused of backing the illegal pan-Kurdish
umbrella group, the KCK.

“This trial is clearly political,” said Ertugrul Mavioglu, an
investigative journalist, whose terrorism charges for interviewing
Murat Karayilan, a member of the KCK – which includes the Kurdistan
Workers’ party (PKK) – were dropped in December last year.

Human rights groups repeatedly criticise the Turkish government for the
prosecution of pro-Kurdish politicians and activists and journalists
who exercise the right to freedom of expression.

Andrew Gardner, Turkey researcher at Amnesty International, said:
“This prosecution forms a pattern [in Turkey] where critical writing,
political speeches and participation at peaceful demonstrations are
used as evidence of terrorism offences.”