Skip to main content

Turkish court defies higher ruling to uphold verdict in Cumhuriyet retrial

A Turkish court has upheld its conviction of 12 Cumhuriyet journalists, defying a September decision by a higher court and exposing discord in the Turkish judiciary.
Lawyers and opposition MP's gather outside Caglayan courthouse on February 21,2019 in Istanbul, to protest against the upholding by an appeal court of the jail sentences against opposition journalists in a long-running case targeting the Cumhuriyet newspaper. - Last year 14 former Cumhuriyet staff, including journalists and executives, were given multiple sentences for "aiding and abetting terror groups without being a member" but they remained free pending trial. An appeals court in Istanbul said it unanim

ISTANBUL — More than three years after the prosecution of journalists and other employees of Turkey’s opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper began, a Turkish court upheld its conviction of 12 former staff members and acquitted one in a retrial Thursday.

The decision continues a legal saga that has seen defendants in and out of prison on various terror-related charges, and the case will now be sent to an appeals court despite a September ruling by a higher court overturning convictions against the former newspaper employees.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.