Journalist Arif Aslan in Van has been charged with "aiding and abetting a terrorist organization" and given a jail sentence of 1 year and 3 months for content he shared on his Facebook account.
Journalist Arif Aslan in Van faced an investigation in January on grounds of "aiding and abetting a terrorist organization" due to his Facebook posts about the clashes in the region and balance sheet of the conflict.
In the scope of the investigation, Aslan appeared at Van 4th High Criminal Court which sentenced him to 1 year and 3 months in jail. Execution of the sentence was stayed on condition that he does not commit the same crime again.
"I FULFILLED MY DUTY AS A JOURNALIST"
In his defense, Aslan stated that people's right to information is a universal right which journalists are obligated to fulfill. He recalled that his colleagues covering the news in the region are often subjected to such investigations, defending that the content he shared has no criminal provisions.
Aslan emphasized that prosecutors and courts sentence journalists based on personal opinions, that the public's freedom of information cannot be restricted, and that he will continue his works as a journalist.
