ISTANBUL - Second hearing of the trial opened against 18 people, seven of them jailed including journalist Meşale Tolu, who has been jailed for eight months, was held. All jailed defendants have been released from prison by the court.

 

Second hearing of the trial opened against 18 people, seven of them jailed including reporter and translator for the Etkin News Agency (ETHA) Meşale Tolu, who has been jailed in Bakırköy Women’s Closed Prison for eight months on charges of “being member of a(terrorist) organization” was held by 29th High Criminal Court in Istanbul. Jailed journalist Meşale Tolu and other jailed defendants and released defendants pending the trial and their lawyers attended the hearing. German Ambassador to Turkey Martin Erdmann and German journalist Gunther Walraff also attended the hearing.

 

First Fatma Çiftçi defended herself. Fatma stated that she is a student of Yüzüncü Yıl University in Van province and she demanded her acquittal after denying the accusations against her.

 

Then, the prosecutor demanded the release of all jailed defendants.

 

Meşale began to speak in the hearing and she said, “The pressure on the press continues while I have been in prison. I demand the pressures on the free press to be ended for the public conscience and I demand my acquittal.”

 

The court has ruled to release all jailed defendants and banned them from traveling abroad.