Yasemin Çongar
Timeline of Legal Harassment and State Persecution Against Journalist Yasemin Çongar
Prominent journalist and former executive of shut Taraf Newspaper Yasemin Çongar has been legally prosecuted over charges of "obtaining, disclosing and destroying information about the security of the state". The allegations against them were based on a report published regarding a secret document called "Sovereign Operation Plan" which belonged to the General Staff. She has been battling for her rights to report for more than six years. If convicted, she may be sentenced for more than 17 years in prison. Taraf newspaper, known for its vociferous critique of the Turkish military’s overreaches in state affairs, was forced shut after the coup attempt in July 2016. Yasemin is not the only one facing charges in this case. Former executive Ahmet Altan, reporters Mehmet Baransu, Yıldıray Oğur and Tuncay Opçin are in the case and facing severe charges as Yasemin.
2022
March 4
After a six-year long trial, the court finalized the case of former shuttered Taraf newspaper executives and reporters. At the 39th hearing of the case, former executive Yasemin Çongar was sentenced to three years and four months in prison for "obtaining information about the security of the state". She was acquitted of the rest of the charges she was accused of.
January 21
The 38th hearing of the case against Yasemin was adjourned after hearing arguments presented by all defense lawyers. The next hearing will be held on March 4, 2021. Yasemin’s lawyer, Figen Albuga Çalıkuşu presented the journalist at court and finalized the defense statement. Figen stated that there were no links to her client about the secret document alleged to be reported at the newspaper and repeated her acquittal request to the court committee.
2021
November 12
The hearing of the fabricated terror-related case against former Taraf executive Yasemin and other journalists was adjourned for the 37th time on this day. The court decided to wait for the decision on defendant Mehmet Baransu’s request, pending before another court, to change the committee of judges hearing the case. In the previous hearing in June, defendant Mehmet Baransu had accused the current court committee of bias and had sought for their case to be transferred to a different committee.
October 18
Although the verdict was expected, in an interim order İstanbul court denied lawyers' request for recusal of journalist Mehmet Baransu from the court. The committee adjourned the 36th hearing of the case to November 12, 2021.
June 2
The prosecutor submitted his opinion to the court and demanded a prison sentence of five to ten years for the journalist over the charge of "disclosure of information regarding the security and political interests of the state". The court adjourned the hearing to October 18-19, 2021 for the journalists and lawyers to prepare their defenses for the announced accusations.
March 5
At the 33rd hearing of the case defendant lawyers requested additional time from the court to explain the case file to the new prosecutor. However, the court rejected the lawyers’ offer and decided to send the file to the prosecutor's office for the preparation of the opinion, citing the justification would not contribute to the case-file.
2020
December 9
The hearing was adjourned that day to March 4, 2021 due to the judge’s leave.
October 13
In the hearing, which started on October 12 and lasted for three days, Mehmet Baransu, made his defense and denied the accusations. Then, his lawyers backed his defense and agreed with their client. The court announced its interim decision and ruled to continue Mehmet Baransu’s detention and demanded to eliminate the missing files of the case.
August 11-13
The hearing adjourned after Mehmet Baransu’s request to extend the investigation and give his defense with his lawyer against the witness statements.
June 3, 2020
The hearing adjourned due to the coronavirus lockdown.
April 8, 2020
The hearing adjourned due to the coronavirus lockdown.
2019
December 10
At the hearing in December, the court heard witness statements and adjourned the next hearing to April 8-9-10, 2020 for the submission of the prosecution’s opinion.
August 27-29
Reporter Mehmet Baransu continued his defense in the hearing. Yasemin’s lawyer Figen Albuga Çalıkuşu presented the journalist at court.
March 22-25
The court requested the consent of the Mersin 2nd High Criminal Court to merge the file where Mehmet Baransu was tried for "being a member of a terror organization" with his case files.
2018
November 2
Reporter Mehmet Baransu’s first defense was taken after three years of imprisonment. Yasemin’s lawyer Figen Albuga Çalıkuşu presented the journalist at court.
January 31
Mehmet Baransu stated that he doubted the independence and impartiality of the court committee and demanded the court’s judge to be rejected. The court denied the request and ordered the continuation of his detention.
2017
December 4
Baransu, represented by a lawyer appointed from the bar association pursuant to the Criminal Procedure Code (CMK), was given time to prepare his defense. He requested the lawyer restriction to be lifted to the court.
2016
September 2
The first hearing of the case started on this day. The prosecutor requested the İstanbul 13. High Criminal Court that Yasemin Çongar to be sentenced to 52.5 years in prison for "obtaining, disclosing and destroying information about the security of the state".
