OSCE Media Freedom Representative urges for acquittal of Turkish journalists Erol Önderoğlu, Ahmet Nesin, human rights defender Şebnem Korur Fincancı

VIENNA, 29 September 2021 – The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro urges the Turkish authorities to acquit journalists Erol Önderoğlu and Ahmet Nesin, and human rights defender and physician Şebnem Korur Fincancı, ahead of their retrial hearing on 30 September. They face a lengthy jail sentence on terrorism-related charges for their participation in a 2016 press freedom campaign.
The three of them are standing trial for their one-time symbolic participation as guest editors-in-chief of a solidarity campaign with the then shutdown pro-Kurdish newspaper, Özgür Gündem. If convicted, they could each face up to fourteen and a half years in prison under the Anti-Terror Law No. 3713 and the Penal Code of Turkey.
After three years of judicial persecution, a lower court acquitted all three in 2019. During this trial period, they spent a significant period in pre-trial detention and faced numerous days in court before the judges reached their verdict. In October last year, a regional court of appeals overturned this acquittal on procedural grounds, and ordered a retrial. At the retrial, which starts on 30 September, all three will face identical spurious charges of “propagandizing for a terrorist organization”, “openly inciting to commit crimes” and “praising the crime and the criminal”.
“I deplore the renewed judicial harassment against Erol Önderoğlu, Ahmet Nesin and Şebnem Korur Fincancı, who once again have to face severe meritless terrorism-related charges, while risking a long and arduous judicial process, and possibly a lengthy prison sentence – only for exercising their right to freedom of expression five years ago.”
The Representative added: “To penalize expressions of collegial solidarity, by equating such acts with terrorism or criminal behaviour, goes beyond the principles of necessity and proportionality, and sends a chilling message on freedom of expression and media freedom in the country. I urge the authorities to acquit Erol Önderoğlu, Şebnem Korur Fincancı and Ahmet Nesin of all charges brought against them and ensure an enabling environment for freedom of expression.”
For more than twenty years, Erol Önderoğlu has been a tireless advocate for media freedom and freedom of expression in Turkey, for which he received several renowned awards in his country and abroad.
In order to ensure effective protection of the fundamental human right to freedom of expression, Ribeiro encouraged the authorities to take concrete and meaningful steps to revise the widely interpreted national anti-terrorism laws in Turkey and bring these in line with OSCE commitments and international standards, including the case law of the European Court of Human Rights.
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom