Five Turkish journalists sentenced for revealing state secrets in Libya
The sentence is part of a trial of seven journalists accused of "obtaining and disseminating classified documents on Turkish intelligence activities" in Libya, where the Anatolian country has deployed troops to support the UN-recognised National Accord Government in Tripoli.
Baris Pehlivan and Hülya Kilinç of the radio station Odatv have been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison, while Murat Agirel of the daily Yeniçag and Ferhat Çelik and Aydin Keser of the daily Yeni Yasam have been sentenced to four years and eight months in prison.
Two of them had already been released on bail since last June, and the rest have been released today, pending the judge's order to enforce the sentence. Two other Odatv editors were acquitted of all charges.
The journalists have been charged with reporting on the deaths of military personnel in Libya and revealing the identities of members of the intelligence services. Turkish law provides for up to 9 years' imprisonment for revealing the identity of members of the secret services
The defendants defended their innocence by stressing that they were only doing their job as journalists and that the information they disseminated was already on social networks.
Amnesty International called for the release of the journalists and accused the authorities of "arbitrary use" of anti-terrorism laws and state secrets to attack press freedom.
Since the failed coup d'état in 2016, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has closed down editorial offices throughout the country. Thousands of journalists have been arrested, imprisoned and most of the foreign correspondents have been expelled.
Arrests continue to be arbitrary. Four months ago, in the midst of a quarantine, several journalists were arrested for "spreading panic and fear" with their reports on the coronavirus.
The Society of Journalists of Turkey (TGC) has made several appeals stating that "we should be a society where news can travel freely". The association urges the government to release the journalists in prison as soon as possible to ensure peace in the country.
Turkey currently ranks 154th out of 180 countries analysed in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) world press freedom ranking. It is currently the second most imprisoned state with 85 reporters in prison.
