Kurdish Journalist and Deputy Mayor Released

The Third Van High Criminal Court ruled to release Murat Aydın, a reporter for the Dicle news agency (DİHA,) and Bulanık Deputy District Mayor Ali Topçu from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) on Tuesday.

Law enforcement officials had taken Aydın and Deputy Mayor Topçu under custody on Oct. 20, 2011 during a raid in the districts of Bulanık and Varto in Muş within the scope of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) probe. They were subsequently sent off to an F-type prison in the eastern province of Van.

The court ruled to try Aydın and Topçu without arrest and thus released them on the first hearing of the case on Tuesday. The next hearing is scheduled for Nov. 27.  

Çağdaş Ulus, a reporter for the daily Vatan, and Cihat Ablay, an employee of the Fırat Distribution Company, were also released on Sept. 13.

Some 44 press workers are standing trial in relation to their alleged involvement in the KCK's media committee. (NV)