ECtHR Grants Turkey 2nd Extension of Time Limit for Statement of Defence in Cumhuriyet Trial

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Government of Turkey has still not submitted its statement of defence in the lawsuit "23199/17- Cumhuriyet / Sabuncu and Others v Turkey" before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).

The extension of the time limit for submission that was already granted once, expired yesterday (October 24) and Turkey's Ministry of Justice had requested a second extension of time limit of two more weeks.

According to the report of Alican Uludağ from Cumhuriyet, the ECtHR has granted Turkey's request but warned that the time limit, that has now been extended till November 7, 2017 was final and any request for further extension would be rejected.

At the beginning of June, the ECtHR had summoned Turkey to submit its statement of defence and set a time limit for submission till October 2.

The initial time limit had expired, the Ministry of Justice had not submitted its statement of defence and requested an extension of time limit. The court had granted Turkey's request and had extended the time limit until October 24.

The lawsuit "23199/17- Cumhuriyet / Sabuncu and Others v Turkey" was opened upon application of Cumhuriyet daily employees Murat Sabuncu, Akın Atalay, Önder Çelik, Turhan Günay, Mustafa Kemal Güngör, Kadri Gürsel, Hakan Kara, Musa Kart, Güray Öz and Bülent Utku on March 2, 2017 who were detained in police operations on January 31, 2016 and arrested later.

The applicants had complained under Article 5 titled "Freedom and Security" about their pre-trial detention and its duration, under Article 10 titled "Freedom of expression" that there has been a breach of their freedom of expression.

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Time limit for Ahmet Şık's statement of defence expires today

On May 9, 2017, journalist Ahmet Şık, who is also a defendant in the Cumhuriyet trial, had also applied to the ECtHR requesting an extension of time limit to make his statement of defence since he was added to the trial later than the initial defendants of the case. (36493/17- Ahmet Şık v. Turkey).

The time limit for Şık expires today (October 25).

However, it is still unknown whether Turkey will demand an extension. (EKN/DG)