Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals declines to uphold aggravated life imprisonment of journalists
Source:Stockholm Center for Freedom Date:06Jul2019
This is a landmark verdict by High Court of Appeals re free press
The 16th Criminal Department of Turkey’s Supreme Court of Appeals has declined to uphold the aggravated life sentences handed down by a lower court to journalists Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan, Nazlı Ilıcak, Fevzi Yazıcı, Yakup Şimşek and Şükrü Tuğrul Özşengül, Turkish media reported on Friday.
The ruling recommended Mehmet Altan’s acquittal due to a lack of sufficient and credible evidence while stating that other defendants should be found not guilty of violating the constitution but guilty of knowingly and wilfully aiding the faith-based Gülen movement.
The court also rejected requests for the release of Ilıcak, Altan, Yazıcı, Şengül and Şimşek. Mehmet Altan was released pending appeal.
The file will now be sent back for review by the high criminal court in İstanbul that oversaw the journalists’ case.