Evrensel Newspaper's Reporter Kemal Özer Released

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The fifth hearing of the case of Kemal Özer, who has been on trial for “being a member of a terrorist organization,” has been held at the Tunceli 1st Heavy Penal Court.

Özer and his attorneys have given defense statements. The court board has ruled for the journalist’s release.

According to the BİA Media Monitoring Report, 123 journalists are currently behind bars in Turkey. 36 journalists become either suspects or defendants of “insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan”. 233 journalists and media representatives are facing ten aggravated life sentences, one life sentence, 2,552 years and 10 months of prison sentences and 4 million TRY (~750 thousand USD) of compensations in total.

BİA Media Monitoring 2018 - No Freedom in Sight for News, No End to Court-Prison for Journalists

What happened?

Kemal Özer was taken into custody at a checkpoint on the road between Ovacık and Dersim on September 4, 2017.

Allegedly being a member of a terrorist organization, his detention period was determined as seven days. At the end of this period, it was extended for another seven days.

Özer was arrested on September 15, 2017, on the charge of “being a member of a terrorist organization.”  (EMK/VK)