Interim Judgement in 1st Hearing: 7 Released, 5 Remain in Jail

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An interim judgement was passed today (July 28) on the the fifth hearing in the Cumhuriyet daily trial in which one Twitter user under arrest and 18 executives, journalists and employees from Cumhuriyet daily 11 of whom are also arrested are standing trial before İstanbul 27th Heavy Criminal Court.

The President of the court has ruled that Güray Öz, Musa Kart, Bülent Utku, Hakan Kara, Önder Çelik, Mustafa Kemal Güngör and Turhan Günay be released and Murat Sabuncu, Akın Atalay, Kadri Gürsel, Ahmet Şık and Ahmet Kemal Aydoğdu remain further in jail.

The court has also decided that criminal charges be pressed against the plea of Ahmet Şık.

The next hearing will be held on September 11 in Silivri.

President of the court: We will hear the deponents next

The President of the Court stating the court's interim judgement announced that

- "The confidentiality restrictions regarding the visitation of the attorneys with the suspects be lifted.

- "The exemption request of the suspects whose testimonies have been taken and against whom no warrant has been issued to take the suspects forcibly to testify meaning the suspects except Can Dündar and İlhan Tanır has been accepted.

- "The digital materials including the private archives of the suspects be returned to them when their examination is completed.

- "The deponents be heard next.

- "The next hearing be held on September 11 and the trial be over by the end of the year.

- "The warrant to take Can Dündar and İlhan Tanır forcibly to testify remain further in effect and

- "Criminal charges be pressed against Ahmet Şık's plea.

(EA/BK/DG)