JINHA

MÊRDÎN - Our editor Zehra Doğan had been imprisoned for her work as a journalist based on the testimony of witnesses whose identity has been kept confidential. Zehra, who had been reporting for months from the blockaded district of Nusaybin, is being charged with "membership in an illegal organization."

JINHA editor Zehra Doğan was arrested two days ago in Mardin. After procedures at the police station, she was brought before a court, which ruled that she be imprisoned pending trial. The reason cited for the imprisonment ruling was testimony by a confidential witness stating that Zehra had worked alongside DİHA reporter Bilal Gülden, also reporting from Nusaybin. The witness testified, "With the person I knew as Cejno, who I learned here from you was named Bilal Güldem, there was an individual who I have described as a short lady with a nose ring. I learned here from you that this individual's identity is Zehra Doğan. I do not know the individual's identity; she is probably a journalist." A number of named witnesses gave nearly identical testimony to the confidential witness.

In her defense, Zehra testified that she is a journalist and that all crimes she stood accused of were journalistic activities. She noted that she is a member of the Union of Journalists of Turkey and officially seen as a journalist by Turkey's social security system. In response to the charges of working with journalist Bilal Güldem, Zehra reminded that court that Bilal himself had been imprisoned based on similar testimony and ultimately released. She said that the statements in the testimony could not be construed as a crime. She testified that she did not recognize any of the witnesses, that they could only have identified her based on photographs provided, and that she therefore did not accept the charges.

Lawyers also testified in court that Zehra's social media posts could not be seen as propaganda for an illegal organization, and that her journalistic activities did not constitute a crime. Zehra's lawyers noted that despite the fact that Zehra was a figure known to the public, the witnesses whose testimony the ruling was based on did not even know her name.

The court, however, cited the witness testimony as sufficient evidence to charge Zehra with being a "member of an illegal organization." The court, expressing a suspicion that Zehra would attempt to flee, ruled that she be imprisoned in the Mardin E Type Prison.

Meanwhile, HDP Mardin representative Ali Atalan's advisor, Mazlum Kavak, who was arrested wth Zehra, was released with the condition of control by the court based on testimony regarding his work as a political advisor and his social media posts.

(ekip/dm/mg/cm)