Dicle News Agency, Özgür Gündem paper and Fýrat News Agency (ANF) journalists are being tried today at Çaðlayan Court in Istanbul. Journalists entered the court hall amidst applause and slogans but were immediately after sent out from the hall by the court board.

Hundreds of journalists and politicians also gathered in front of the Court early this morning to support the journalists and workers on trial. Among those showing support are journalists Yýldýrým Türker, Ahmet Þýk and Nuray Mert, Democratic Society Congress (DTK) co-chair Aysel Tuðluk, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Gültan Kýþanak, BDP deputies Sýrrý Süreyya Önder, Sebahat Tuncel, Ertuðrul Kürkçü, Mülkiye Birtane, Hasip Kaplan as well as Prof. Büþra Ersanlý and Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Ýlhan Cihaner.

The group of journalists and politicians in front of the Court entered the hearing room following the statements of BDP co-chair Gültan Kýþanak and the German delegation of journalists and human rights defenders who came to Turkey to follow the trial.

Applause and slogans were chanted as jailed journalists were brought into the hearing room. The court board asked lawyers to take place among the audience because of lack of space for all those following the trial. Lawyers raised an objection to the court board which therewith ordered the hearing room to be emptied.

Journalists protested against the court board’s order before they were forcibly taken out of the hearing room.