Position: Journalist & Documentary Directors

Accusations: Spreading terrorist propaganda

Case Background:

Journalist Ertuğrul Mavioğlu and Çayan Demirel, who is the director of a documentary called “A Guerilla Documentary: Bakur” are being charged with “making terrorist propaganda” on the documentary which was screened in 2015.

Documentary Bakur, which means “north” in Kurdish, which is the basis of allegations shows Kurdish spring celebrations Newroz and convicted Kurdish terrorist head Abdullah Öcalan’s speech.

The case was filed two years after the documentary was screened and directors are being prosecuted under the Turkish Criminal Law. First hearing took place on May 29, 2018.

Sixth hearing is set for July 18, 2019.

Read IPI’s open letter against the prosecution of the filmmakers here.