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Business as usual for the Turkish state as four more journalists jailed on trumped-up terrorism charges

IT WAS business as usual for the Turkish state today as four journalists from the Ozgurlukcu Demokrasi media organisation were jailed on trumped-up terrorism charges.

Hicran Urun, Reyhan Hacioglu and Ishak Yasul were sentenced to three years and one month in jail by an Istanbul court for “aiding and abetting a terrorist organisation” — namely the Kurdistan Workers’ Party.

Editor Mehmet Ali Celebi was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail on the same charges.

The hearing was the fifth in the trial of 14 members of staff from the online publication. It was set up in 2016, days after the closure of the Ozgur Gundem newspaper by presidential decree.

Mr Celebi said in his last statement to the court: “We carried out activities within the framework of press freedom. Freedom of the press can not be punished.”

Hopes have been raised of a new era in Turkey following the crushing defeat of ruling Justice and Development candidate Binali Yildirim in last Sunday’s rerun Istanbul mayoral election.

The result has been hailed by government opponents as a victory for democracy, with celebrations continuing beyond the streets of Istanbul.

But caution has been urged with fears that authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will intensify repression both internally and in operations across the borders, particularly in Syria and Iraq.

Today’s sentencing is a reminder that freedom of the press remains severely restricted in Turkey. It has more journalists in jail than any other country.

Yesterday prosecutors demanded a 15-year jail sentence for journalist Beritan Canozer in a case described by her lawyers as “a murder case without a victim.”

She is charged with membership of a terrorist organisation. The evidence used against her — interviews allegedly conducted with members of terrorist organisations — cannot be found.

Lawyers asked for more time to prepare the defence with a new date set for October.

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