Journalist Baransu: Witness and Defendant in One

Taraf newspaper reporter Mehmet Baransu is facing imprisonment under charges of "disclosing information related to the security and political interests of the state". The charges are based on the news item entitled "Aslan Pasha's guilty ears" published on 30 August 2010.

The Istanbul Public Prosecutor, Hakan Karaali, prepared the two-page indictment and demands imprisonment of five to ten years for the journalist.

Allegations: Disclosing information on state security

The complaint was filed by the Military Prosecution of the General Staff Presidency. The indictment seeks prison terms under article 329 of the Turkish Criminal Law (TCK) on "Disclosure of information relating to the security and political interests of the State".

The news item in the nation-wide daily read that Deputy Chief of General Staff, Aslan Güner, had "signed a scandalizing procedure" in his time on duty as Lieutenant General at the Intelligence Office Presidency in 2007. It was furthermore said that the General Staff Electronic Systems (GES) purchased from Israel with the alleged purpose to "wiretap members of the [militant] Kurdistan Workers Party [PKK]" was actually bought to eavesdrop on high-profile people.

The news put forward that only the National Intelligence Agency (MİT) held the authority to wiretap. Neither the police nor the gendarmerie held the authority to purchase listening devices for the GES Command or to eavesdrop, the news said.

Moreover, Baransu reported that Güner had presented a circular from 2002 as the reason for the illegal wiretapping. Based on the decision of the Defence Industry Executive Committee given five years earlier, he supposedly concealed his purchase from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence, who are members of the Committee.

Baransu: I will disclose my documents if the facts are concealed

Baransu mentioned to bianet his disapproval of the prosecution on the grounds of his revealing of illegal wiretapping as a violation of the individual's right to privacy. He also criticized Güner's defence who stated that he bought the equipment "without authorization" to use them abroad.

Baransu was heard as a witness in the scope of the investigation launched over the published allegations by the General Staff Military Prosecution. He pointed to the fact that on the other hand he was a defendant due to the complaint filed by the General Staff to the prosecution.

Baransu will be tried at the Istanbul High Criminal Court. The first hearing has not been scheduled yet. Baransu indicated, "I went to the 1^st Army Command and gave my statement in the scope of the military investigation. I will publish the documents I have in hand in case the General Staff attempts to obstructs or conceal the investigation. I will disclose the irregularities in the purchase of the equipment. I have documents regarding the use of the equipment in Cyprus and regarding the person who was given the responsibility for the equipment. I will publish these documents", the journalist said.

The Istanbul 14^th High Criminal Court previously acquitted Baransu from the same charges that had been pressed against the journalist on the grounds of publishing alleged "classified" documents related to the raid of the Aktütün police station. (EÖ/VK)