Trial of Libertarian Democracy newspaper opened in Istanbul

The Libertarian Democracy newspaper was closed on 28 March 2018 with the Decree Law (KKR) issued by the AKP-MHP.

Since the newspaper was closed, the employees' houses were raided. Six journalists were arrested, 14 people were sued.

The fist hearing opened today, Wednesday, at Istanbul 23. Heavy Penal Court. 

The hearing was joined by detained journalists Reyhan Hacıoğlu, Hicran Ürün, Pınar Tarlak, İhsan Yaşar and lawyers.

The hearing was also followed by the families of the journalists on trial and the press professional organizations.

Before the hearing, press statements were made in front of the courthouse. HDP deputies Ali Kenanoğlu, Züleyha Gul and Ahmet Sik, DISC Press-İş, Turkey Journalists' Union (TGS), Free Journalists Initiative (OGI), the Mesopotamian news agency, JİNNEWS, Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform joined the press statement. 

Hakkı Boltan, from the Free Journalists Initiative read the statement on behalf of all the organisations.

Boltan reiterated their solidarity with their detained colleagues and  demanded freedom for the imprisoned journalists. 

"Our friends from the Libertarian Democracy newspaper, Ihsan Yasar, Reyhan Hacıoğlu, Hicran Ürün, Mehmet Ali Çelebi, and Pınar Tarlak, are in prison for six months now”.