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The Turkish court on Wednesday (July 17th) acquitted the representative in Turkey of the NGO Reporters Without Borders, Erol Onderoglu, and his two co-defendants. They were prosecuted for "terrorist propaganda" after participating in a solidarity campaign in 2016 with the Kurdish newspaper Özgür Gündem , banned since.
With our correspondent in Istanbul, Anne Andlauer
After three years of trial , the court has acquitted RSF's representative in Turkey, Erol Onderoglu, and his co-defendants, the writer-journalist Ahmet Nesin and the president of the Human Rights Foundation, Sebnem Korur Fincanci.
The Turkish courts found that they were not guilty of any crime, "terrorist propaganda" or "apology for crime" and "incitement to commit a crime", as the prosecutor against them up to 14 years and half in prison for having worked for a day with the pro-Kurdish newspaper Özgür Gündem .
We are deeply relieved by the acquittal of @ ErolOnderoglu and his colleagues. BUT 3 years of absurd proceedings, this is already an unfair punishment AND a new trial against Erol will begin on November 7th. These charges must be dropped! #SupportErol pic.twitter.com/dPLo5TkUEP
RSF (@RSF_inter) July 17, 2019New trial on November 7th
At the announcement of the verdict, human rights defender Sebnem Korur Fincanci - the only one of the three accused who appeared on Wednesday, July 17 - seemed to have a hard time believing it and keeping her tears in the applause.
For Reporters Without Borders (RSF), it is a relief, but half-hearted. Their representative will be tried again from November 7 for "terrorist propaganda" again, this time for showing solidarity with hundreds of academics who signed a petition demanding the end of security operations in the south. is in Kurdish majority in January 2016. In this new trial, Erol Onderoglu is once again in danger of being imprisoned.
► See also: Journalist in Turkey : high risk job