Court rules to release on bail two Turkish journalists in hacking case
ISTANBUL
An Istanbul court on Dec. 6 ruled to release on probation Mahir Kanaat and Tunca Öğreten, two journalists who have been in jail for 323 days after reporting on the hacked e-mails of Energy Minister Berat Albayrak.
However, the court also ruled to maintain an international travel ban on Birgün reporter Kanaat and news website Diken employee Öğreten.
Four journalists in total are being tried in the case into the hacking of Albayrak’s e-mails by hacker group Redhack, including Kanaat, Öğreten, and Ömer Çelik, who was released in an earlier hearing after spending 300 days in jail.
"I have not had even a tiny contact with any terror organization,” Kanaat said at court on Dec. 6, demanding his acquittal.
“Here stands a journalist who wrote a news report on the mentioned e-mails without abusing the basic principles of journalism or ethics,” Öğreten told the court, also demanding his acquittal.
Ruling to release the journalists pending trial, the court also ordered their international travel ban to be maintained.
The court adjourned the hearing to April 3, 2018.
