Journalist Ercüment Akdeniz, who has been held in pretrial detention for 160 days as part of the investigation into the Peoples’ Democratic Congress (HDK), appeared before a judge for the first time in the case where he is being tried on charges of “membership in an organization.” The hearing was held at the 26th High Criminal Court at the Istanbul Courthouse. Akdeniz and his lawyers were present at the session.
The hearing was also attended by HDK Co-Spokesperson Meral Danış Beştaş, Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP) Chairperson Erkan Baş, Human Rights Association (IHD) Co-Chair Eren Keskin, members of parliament from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), and Turkey Press and Broadcasting Workers’ Union (DISK Basın-Iş) Chair Turgut Dedeoğlu. Many journalist associations, including the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG), were also present in the courtroom.
The hearing began following the verification of identity, after which Ercüment Akdeniz presented his defense. He stated the following: “I have been working as a journalist since 2010. Since 2012, I have been reporting on migration issues. I have received three awards and have published books in the field of migration. I also previously served as the chairperson of the Labour Party (EMEP), but later resigned. I am not currently a member of any political party. The indictment prepared against me is incorrect and fabricated. Constitutionally, my right to freedom and my political rights have been portrayed as crimes. I reject all the accusations. My conscience is clear. Journalists speak the truth. We are journalists who pursue truth. I was detained in front of my house. I was kept in a car for half an hour. They said, ‘We’ll raid your house when the time comes.’ I had my key, but they did not allow me to open the door. They opened it by shouting and forcing it. The indictment reflects this in an absurd way.
The HDK has been portrayed as a criminal entity. However, even my party never told me to take part in the HDK. I was not on any HDK list. I do not know why I am included in this accusation. And in any case, presenting HDK as a criminal organization is not acceptable. It holds congresses, and its office is located in Beyoğlu. There is a discourse trying to label certain groups as ‘marginal left.’ According to that logic, everyone must be part of a mainstream political party, but that is not how it works.
It is alleged that I was active in HDK, but there is no information about what I supposedly did. The so-called evidence includes recorded conversations; I spoke with 14 people, and 13 of them are EMEP members. Yet I am being accused of HDK membership. That leaves only one person, and that one is from Hayat TV. Even if that person was affiliated with HDK, it would not be a crime. Right now, I am being prosecuted as part of both an EMEP investigation and an HDK investigation. That is a contradiction. I am not a member of any organization. These accusations are entirely fictional. The indictment claims that ‘Kurdish citizens were taxed through illegal activities’, how could I possibly do such a thing? I completely reject this. It also says I ‘organized financial activities that cannot be regarded as part of a legitimate political party.’ Yes, I collected donations, but I did so for EMEP. And no political party can be referred to as a ‘cover.’
All the charges brought against me are false. There is no evidence, no records. The accusation of ‘membership in an organization’ is materially baseless. Everything I have done either falls under journalism or activities related to EMEP. Because I have been detained for such a long time, my right to freedom of the press has been violated. The only HDK-related event I ever participated in was a single panel on migration. I demand acquittal and release, for the sake of truth and justice.”
The lawyers requested acquittal and release. The prosecutor, however, demanded the continuation of detention. The court panel ruled to keep Akdeniz in custody. The next hearing was postponed to 23 October.
Source: ANF News
