25 journalists accused of terrorism sentenced in Turkey

Istanbul court sentenced 25 journalists to different terms of imprisonment for participation in Fethullah Gülen’s movement. The latter is accused by Ankara of the coup organization in 2016, Turkish opposition news agency Zaman informs. 

23 journalists were accused of the membership in the armed terrorist group, two persons more faced less serious accusations. 

Almost all convicts worked in mass media close to Gülen’s movement. The majority of them worked in Zaman newspaper. 

Ten persons were sentenced to 7.5 years in jail including Ünal Tanık, the veteran of Turkish journalism, who was a chief editor of Rotahaber website. 

Thirteen persons were sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in jail, including Hanım Büşra Erdal, a leading columnist in Zaman newspaper. 

A journalist and singer Atilla Taş was sentenced to 3 years and 1 months in jail for assisting Gülen’s group, while a journalist Murat Aksoy was sentenced to 2 years and 1 month in jail on the same accusation. 

However, both of them were released after the trial under the condition of staying in Turkey. The total of 19 suspects was staying in prison expecting their sentences. 

Turkey calls ‘terrorists’ everyone who is considered an enemy or a threat to the regime of the President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.