Turkish journalists go on trial, accused of waging ‘ asymmetric war’

Seventeen employees of a Turkish opposition newspaper went on trial on Monday accused of supporting a terrorist group, a case seen by government critics as a further sign that freedom of expression is under attack.

“Journalism is not a crime,” chanted several hundred people gathered outside the central Istanbul court to protest against the prosecution of writers, executives and lawyers of the staunchly secularist Cumhuriyet newspaper.

The hearing coincides with an escalating dispute with Germany over the arrest in Turkey of 10 rights activists, including one German, as part of a crack- down since last year’s attempted coup against President Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkish prosecutors are seeking up to 43 years in jail for staff from the paper, including some of Turkey’s best- known journalists, who are accused of targeting Erdogan through “asymmetric war methods.”

“According to the government, everyone in opposition is a terrorist, the only non- terrorists are themselves,” Filiz Kerestecioglu, a member of parliament from the pro- Kurdish HDP opposition party, told reporters ahead of the trial.

According to the 324- page indictment, Cumhuriyet was effectively taken over by the network of US- based cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed for the failed putsch last July, and used to “veil the actions of terrorist groups.”

Gulen has denied any involvement in the coup.

The newspaper has called the charges “imaginary accusations and slander.” Social media posts comprised the bulk of evidence in the indictment, along with allegations that staff had been in contact with users of Bylock, an encrypted messaging app the government says was used by Gulen’s followers.

Rights groups and Turkey’s Western allies have complained of deteriorating human rights under Erdogan.

In the crackdown since last July’s failed coup, 50,000 people have been jailed pending trial and some 150,000 detained or dismissed from their jobs.

As part of the purge some 150 media outlets have been shut down and around 160 journalists are in jail, according to the Turkish Journalists’ Association.