Student Journalist Remains Jailed

An Istanbul ruled that Emine Akman--a student journalist suspected for "committing crimes for PKK as a non-member"--remained in prison until her next trial on Jan 22 at 2pm.

In August 2011, Akman was arrested on her way to a friend and remained in Bakirkoy Prison ever since. Her case contained many similarities with the case of Cihan Kirmizigul, another university student released after 25 month behind bars for allegedly "throwing a Molotov cocktail" while no evidence was present.

"Emine was arrested without any solid evidence or accusations. Police arrested her because they checked her file and found out that she joined student protests. She is also Kurdish. This is a prosecution based on prejudice," said Akman's advocate Hüseyin Boğatekin.

During her imprisonment, Akman enrolled in additional undergraduate program in philosophy through distant education, while she was unable to enroll in most of her main university classes due to lack of Internet connection in prison.

Student organizations gather in front of the courthouse to protest Emine Akman's imprisonment along with other student inmates.

"Emine's attorneys made an inquiry concerning the photograph that police based on to arrest her. Even though they submitted a file to the forensics department, the court rejected the request. We are urging the court to explain why it rejected an important inquiry that could prove Emine's innocence. She is still being kept in prison even though there are no proven accusations," said Juliana Gözen from Jailed Students Solidarity Association.

The association statement said while Emine became subject to ill-treatment n prison, judges ignored her situation, asking her irreverent questions concerning her private life and questioning her morals.

"We are demanding justice for almost 1,000 jailed students throughout the country. We will keep on speaking up for them," the statement said. (AS/NV)