A court in Istanbul acquitted today Reporters Without Borders’ representative in Turkey Erol Önderoğlu, Turkey’s Human Rights Foundation Chair Şebnem Korur and journalist Ahmet Nesin of all charges. Responding to the news, Carles Torner, Executive Director of PEN International, said:

‘Erol Önderoğlu, Şebnem Korur and Ahmet Nesin should have never been arrested and charged for taking part in a solidarity campaign for the now-closed pro-Kurdish daily Özgür Gündem. They have been on trial for three years, in what amounted to judicial harassment.

‘While we welcome today’s verdict, which is a great victory for press freedom, we remain concerned by the continuing onslaught on freedom of expression in Turkey and by the sheer number of journalists detained, prosecuted and jailed simply for doing their job.

‘We call on the Turkish authorities to build on today’s judgment by ending the prosecution and detention of journalists on the basis of the content of their writing or alleged affiliation with banned groups in Turkey, and by immediately releasing all those held in prison for peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of opinion and expression.’

https://pen-international.org/news/turkey-pen-international-welcomes-acquittal-in-ozgur-gundem-case .