Defendants: Mehmet Baransu, Murat Şevki Çoban

Media Outlet and Position: Taraf Newspaper – Columnist, Managing Editor

Status: Imprisoned

Facility: Silivri Prison, İstanbul

Accusations: Possessing and revealing secret documents in relation to national security

Possible sentence: 26 up to 52 years

Court: Anadolu 10. High Criminal Court

Case Background: 

Mehmet Baransu, a former columnist for shuttered Taraf newspaper, and the daily’s former Managing Editor Murat Şevki Çoban are being accused of “possessing and revealing secret documents in relation to national security” over an article published in 2013. The case was filed upon the National Intelligence Agency’s (MİT) complaint, claiming journalists possessed secret MİT documents and had revealed them via the press. The prosecution is asking for a sentence up to 52 years for both Baransu and Çoban.

Mehmet Baransu was already arrested on March 2, 2015, on charges of “revealing information that is to be kept secret for the security and political benefit of the state”. Baransu was also given a 10-month prison sentence in June 2015 on the separate charge of insulting President Erdoğan in a series of tweets.

Baransu and four other Taraf journalists are being tried on several charges in another case in relation to an alleged military coup plan named the “Balyoz operation” in 2010.  Journalists are accused of “revealing state secrets” over their reports at the time of the generals’ trials who allegedly planned the Balyoz operation. The generals were acquitted of all charges, yet the journalists’ trial continues.

The most recent hearing of the case against Baransu and Çoban took place on October 17,2018. The trial was adjourned in order missing documents to be completed and 17th hearing will take place on December 12, 2018.