Defendants: Atakan Sönmez

Media Outlet and Position: Cumhuriyet – Former news editor

Accusations: Making terrorist propaganda

Possible sentences: –

Court: İstanbul 13. High Criminal Court

Case Background: 

Atakan Sönmez, the former news editor of Cumhuriyet newspaper, faces charges of “spreading terrorist propaganda” over two articles published on Turkish military operations in Afrin, Syria. Articles published on January 20, 2018, were cited as criminal evidence, accusing the newspaper of publishing news articles in support of Kurdish outlawed forces in northern Syria.

During the third hearing on June 18, 2019, the prosecutor requested prison sentence on the charge of “making consecutive terrorist propaganda”. The court adjourned the next hearing until July 19.