JOURNALISTS IN DETENTION

Journalist Soner Yalçın from the Oda TV news portal appealed against his detention. He was arrested on 18 February under allegations of "assisting an illegal organization" in the scope of the "Ergenekon" investigation and "inciting the public to hatred and hostility" after an extensive police raid on the Oda TV office and homes of four employees.

The "Ergenekon" trial is related to a clandestine terrorist organization established within the state and the military charged with various crimes staged for the ultimate purpose of triggering a military coup.

Yalçın's lawyer Feza Yalçın presented a related petition to the Istanbul 12^th High Criminal Court on Duty that had decided for the journalist's arrest.

The petition claims that the alleged pirate files were saved on the odatv.com computers "via a virus" and thus could not be accounted for as evidence. It is furthermore put forward that the evidence in favour of the detainees was not being considered in the arrest decision.

The petition demands to release site administrator Yalçın, Oda TV Publications Director Barış Pehlivan and News Director Barış Terkoğlu pending trial.

Journalist Balbay applied to ECHR

In another case, journalist Mustafa Balbay applied to the European Court of Human Rights via his lawyers. Balbay, former Ankara correspondent of the Cumhurriyet newspaper, has been detained since 21 July 2009 in the scope of the second indictment of the Ergenekon trial.

Balbay is incarcerated at the Silivri Prison west of Istanbul. He is tried before the Istanbul 13^th High Criminal Court. Balbay is facing an aggravated life sentence plus imprisonment of between 48 and 80 years on charges of "membership in an organization", the "attempt to overthrow the government" and other allegations.

Tuncay Özkan is another journalist who is facing heavy prison terms in the scope of the Ergenekon trial. He is charged with "membership in an organization" and a "coup attempt", offences that carry a two-count aggravated life sentence in total. (EÖ/VK)