After 100 days of remand in Turkey, trial begins in Istanbul against German Peter Steudtner and several or human rights activists. The prosecutor accuses Steudtner and ten or defendants of membership in an armed terrorist organization or support of armed terrorist organisations. Among accused are also Steudtners Swedish colleague Ali Gharavi, chairman of Amnesty International in Turkey, Taner Kilij, and Amnesty country director Idil Eser.

Since May, time online has documented cases of detained journalists in Turkey and, if possible, since when and for what reasons accused journalists are detained ( list can be found at end of article). Currently we know of 164 cases. Most of m are accused of membership or support for a terrorist organization.

On 11 October, journalist Meşale Tolu, who was born in Ulm, had for first time spoken to court on accusations of terrorism against m: "I call for my release and my acquittal," said Tolu at trial in Silivri near Istanbul. Tolu said that she had not committed any of aforementioned offences and did not connect to any illegal organisations. The 32-year-old belongs to 18 defendants accused of terror propaganda and membership in extreme left MLKP. According to ir lawyer Kader F, Germans threaten up to 20 years in prison.

Tolu was arrested on April 30th. Anti-terror policemen had stormed ir apartment in Istanbul. "The Special unit of police has not only directed weapon to my son, but y have also forcibly arrested me before eyes of my child," said Tolu in court, who has been in prison since n with her two-year-old son.

The federal government calls for release of Tolus and or Germans currently detained in Turkey for political reasons. These include, besides Tolu and Steudtner, world correspondent Deniz Yücel.

Meşale Tolu-trial against German journalist begins Turkish public prosecutor accuses Meşale Tolu of membership in a terrorist organization and terrorist propaganda. Tolu rejected accusations. © Photo: Paul Tineen/dpa who, when, why – documented time online

The placement of EU candidate candidate on list of press freedoms by Reporters Without Borders has worsened considerably since failed coup attempt last summer: country fell from place 151 to place 155 – with a total of 180 listed states.

This is also due to lawsuit against 17 Cumhuriyet journalists in Istanbul. The Turkish media representatives were in prison for 267 days before y had opportunity to comment on accusations for first time in court. It is also with m: support for terrorism. The defendants declared mselves innocent. Seven of m were released on July 28th. After eleven months in custody, Cumhuriyet columnist Kadri Gürsel was also released on 26 September. However, accusation against him for links with terrorist groups remained.

Allegations vaguely formulated

Many cases of detained journalists, on or hand, hardly attract attention, such as fate of two French journalists: shortly after arrest of Meşale Tolu, police officers arrested photographer Mathias Depardon in souast of Turkey. His cameras were confiscated, Depardon brought to a refugee camp. The photographer entered a hunger strike on 19 May and was released on June 9th.

His colleague Loup Bureau was arrested on 26 July in Turkish border area, and since n France's president, Emmanuel Macron, sat down for his release. With success: Bureau was brought back to France on 15 September.

Against many of detained journalists re is no concrete indictment, accusations are often vaguely formulated. In ors, one can only assume that arrest is related to ir journalistic work. For President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in any case, a journalist is already in common with terrorists when he interviews m.

A trial detention in Turkey may take up to five years due to state of emergency.

Date Of Update: 25 October 2017, 12:03