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Defendants: Hayri Demir

Media Outlet and Position: Mezopotamya News Agency

Accusations: Conducting propaganda for a terrorist organization

Possible sentences: –

Court: Ankara 15. High Criminal Court

Case Background:

Hayri Demir, a reporter for Mezopotamya News Agency, is facing criminal charges of “spreading terrorist propaganda”.

Next hearing is set for September 24, 2019.

Demir has faced several other cases on similar charges for his journalistic work. In May 2018, Demir was sentenced to 1 year 6 months and 22 days on the charge of “terrorist propaganda” over a news article and a post he shared on social media.

Demir is also a co-defendant in an ongoing case, with Artı-tv correspondent Sibel Hürtaş, on the charges of “inciting the public to hatred and animosity” and “conducting terrorist propaganda.”

The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office seeks up to ten years and six months imprisonment for each in the indictment in relation to both accusations. The prosecutor filed the case against the two journalists along with 10 other defendants over their news reports and social media posts about a Turkish military operation in Afrin, Syria.

Both journalists were taken into custody in late January 2018 and released on bail after four days. Read the details on this case.