Skip to content
  • Common Currency
  • Campaigns
    • PENWrites
    • Writers at Risk
    • Writers in Residence
    • Free speech in the UK
  • News
  • Events
  • Translation
    • PEN Translates
    • PEN Transmissions
    • International Translation Day
    • The World Bookshelf
      • Books
      • Authors
      • Translators
  • Prizes
    • PEN Pinter Prize
    • PEN Ackerley Prize
    • PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize
  • Donate
  • Join
Home > News > Turkey: six journalists on trial for reporting on minister’s leaked emails

Turkey: six journalists on trial for reporting on minister’s leaked emails

In Sepember 2016, Berat Albayrak, President Erdoğan’s son-in-law and Minister of Treasury and Finance, had his private email account hacked by the group RedHack. Among other things, the emails leaked, dating back to a period when he wasn’t involved in politics, included correspondence with pro-government journalists and politicians as well as regarding business dealings.

Following the leak, the Istanbul Public Prosecutor’s Office pressed charges against six journalists: Metin Yoksu and Ömer Çelik from the shuttered Dicle News Agency (DIHA), Eray Sargın from Gazete Yolculuk, Derya Okatan from Etkin News Agency (ETHA), Mahir Kanaat from daily BirGün and Tunca Öğreten from the online news website Diken, in relation to their reporting on the matter.

The journalists were all detained in December 2016. Yoksun, Okatan and Sezgin were released 24 days later. Çelik was released in October 2017, and reported having experienced physical abuse in detention, while Kanaat and Öğreten were released following their December 2017 hearing, having spent 323 days in pre-trial detention.

The latest trial in the civil case against all six journalists took place on 13 September 2018 at Istanbul’s Çağlayan Court House.

Evidence against the group includes their published articles on the subject and private WhatsApp groups discussing the leaked emails. Previous defence by the journalists notes that the emails were published on WikiLeaks and so were publicly available before they reported on them; they had also been reported on by other agencies that have not faced on trial. Crucially, the emails were of public interest. Kanaat had also previously stated that he never wrote an article on the subject and is ‘being tried for news reports that don’t exist’. No sentence has yet been brought against these defendants.

At the opening of the hearing, the prosecutor requested that the international travel ban and for Kanaat and Öğreten be sustained. Responding to this, both the defendants and their lawyers asked for these restrictions to be lifted. Öğreten said his work had been affected by the international travel ban against him, adding:

I have attended every trial and will attend every trial until I am acquitted. I’m a journalist, I can’t travel. I demand removal of my overseas ban.

They also called for technology items that were confiscated when the defendants were initially taken into custody to be returned.

The trial was observed by reporters from NBC, and representatives of English PEN, P24 and Reporters Without Borders, and Fatih Polat, editor-in-chief at Evrensel newspaper.

All requests for acquittal of the six journalists and the return of their computer and phones were rejected, with the judge stating that ‘the expert review had not been completed’. The next hearing is expected to take place on 8 January, 2019 where the two journalists who were not present, Yoksu and Çelik, will be forcibly brought before the court.

Debbie Luxon is a freelance writer, queer activist and free speech campaigner currently based in Istanbul. @DebLuxon

Monday 24th
September 2018

Share

Join our mailing list

Sign up to receive the latest English PEN news and events.

SIGN UP
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Partners
  • Outreach
  • Jobs
  • Contact us

With thanks to our Core Funders

©1921 - 2020

English PEN is a company limited by guarantee number 5747142 (England & Wales) and a registered charity, number 1125610.

We use cookies to help us improve your experience on our website. By closing this notification or interacting with the website you agree to our use of cookies. ACCEPT Find out more
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.