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Turkish courts reopen to backlog of press freedom cases

The resumption of court hearings in Turkey has press freedom advocates anxious, amid fears of a second COVID-19 wave and ongoing pressure on the media covering the pandemic.
Justice Palace, the Caglayan courthouse is pictured in Istanbul, Turkey, January 8, 2018. Picture taken January 8, 2018. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1870F3C700

ISTANBUL — Images of people standing in long lines outside Istanbul’s Caglayan Courthouse filled social media streams in Turkey Tuesday as the nation’s courts reopened this week to a backlog of cases postponed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Now with many press freedom cases slated for hearings in the coming days, lawyers are preparing to defend not only their clients, but also themselves against the novel coronavirus as they head back to courtrooms.

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