İSTANBUL - Sadiye Eser and Sadık Topaloğlu were sentenced to prison for "being a member of an illegal organization." In its justified ruling, the court said no criminal act of the suspects had been identified but they were members of a group that is "dangerous to society."

 

The İstanbul 22nd Heavy Penal Court has released the justified ruling in the case of two former reporters for the Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Sadiye Eser and Sadık Topaloğlu.

 

SENTENCED TO 6 YEARS 3 MONTHS

 

Both journalists were sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison for "being a member of an illegal organization."

 

'DANGEROUS FOR STATE AND SOCIETY'

 

In the justified decision, the court said, "Even though no criminal act of [the defendants] has been identified, it has been concluded that he should be punished because he is a member of an organization that is considered being dangerous for the state and society and has committed acts of grave nature."

 

ANONYMOUS WITNESS SAYS SHE DOESN'T RECOGNISE TOPALOĞLU

 

The evidence against journalists was statements of two witnesses and a photo found on Topaloğlu's seized phone. However, one of the witnesses, Dilek Akyol, could not recognize Topaloğlu during the investigation phase. She had said she knew Topaloğlu's elder brother. Yet, the court said Akyol had "identified" Topaloğlu.

 

The photo considered evidence showed Topaloğlu and Mehmet Demir, a former distributor of the now-shuttered Özgür Gündem, a pro-Kurdish daily newspaper. Demir had been sentenced for "propagandizing for a terrorist organization."