JINHA

ISTANBUL – The first hearing of Ayşe Düzkan and Ragıb Duran, who were “visiting editor-in-chiefs” in campaign that launched as an act of solidarity with the closed daily Özgür GÜndem was held today. The first hearing has been postponed to December 15.

The first hearing of “visiting editor-in-chiefs” in campaign that launched as an act of solidarity with the closed daily Özgür GÜndem was held in Istanbul Court House in Çağlayan. First Ayşe Düzkan and Ragıp Duran were heard and then Editor in Chief of Özgür Gündem, İnan Kızılkaya, who has been held in Silivri No.9 Prison, was taken to the hearing as defendant. The former editor-in-chief of the daily Hüseyin Aykol, was also taken to the hearing as defendant. Ragıp Duran didn’t attend the hearing because he was abroad. Journalists’ organizations, women’s organizations, the Republican's People Party (CHP) MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP Filiz Kerestecioğlu made a press statement in front of the courthouse and attended the hearing.

Jourthe defendants made defense at the trial. İnan Kızılkaya made his defense by saying, “Special operations police raided the office of the daily with their heavy weapons on august 16. I was detained with the staff members of the daily by battering. I was held under detention with Bilir Kaya for a week. I was held under isolation. I was denied to meet with my lawyers. The archive of the daily has been seized. My false imprisonment results from my journalistic activities. The isolation conditions weren’t suitable to prepare my defense. I demand to present my defense later.”

Hüseyin Aykol denied the accusations and demanded the acquittal.

Ayşe Düzkan said she already presented her defense to prosecution and said, “I am accused of defending the freedom of press and being editor-in-chief of the daily for one day. I don’t think this constitutes a crime. I demand the acquittal.”

The trial has been postponed to December 15.

(ro/mg/sy)