Can Dündar and Erdem Gül will be released as a result of a ruling by the Constitutional Court that their detention is illegal. In an upcoming trial, they will face possible life sentences on charges including divulging state secrets for espionage purposes and trying to overthrow the government.
This statement was originally published on rsf.org on 25 February 2016.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is delighted to learn that detained journalists Can Dündar and Erdem Gül should be released soon as a result of today’s ruling by the Constitutional Court that their detention is illegal.
The Constitutional Court, which is Turkey’s highest court, ruled by 12 votes to 3 that their provisional detention violates their fundamental rights. The Istanbul court in charge of their case must now comply with this ruling and order their release. They have been held for nearly 100 days.
“We hail the courage of the Constitutional Court, which has just salvaged the Turkish judicial system’s reputation, and we are relieved for Can Dündar, Erdem Gül and their families,” RSF secretary-general Christophe Deloire said.
“We are delighted by this development but it is just a first step, because the two journalists are still due to go on trial in a month’s time. We must all continue to campaign on their behalf. We will not rest until the absurd changes against them have been dropped.”
In the trial scheduled to begin on 25 March, Dündar and Gül will be facing possible life sentences (without any provision for a pardon) on charges of divulging state secrets for espionage purposes, trying to overthrow the government and assisting a terrorist organization.
