This archive report was first published on 4 November 2019.
On November 4, 2019, a Turkish court handed down a significant decision in the cases of two prominent journalists, Ahmet Altan and Nazli Ilicak. The court sentenced them to 10 and a half years and eight years and nine months respectively for allegedly 'helping a terrorist group', as reported by state news agency Anadolu.
However, in a surprising twist, the court ordered their release under judicial control, taking into account the time they had already served, which amounts to around three years each. Both Altan and Ilicak were also prohibited from leaving the country.
The charges against them stem from their alleged ties to the outlawed group associated with US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the failed coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Gulen has consistently denied any involvement in the attempted coup.
It is worth noting that Altan and Ilicak were initially sentenced to life in prison in 2018, but the Court of Cassation overturned this ruling in July of this year. The court determined that they should not have been tried for their alleged involvement in the attempted coup, but rather for the charge of 'helping a terrorist group', which carries a shorter prison sentence.
Altan, a 69-year-old novelist and journalist who founded the opposition Taraf newspaper, has been a vocal critic of the Turkish government. His brother, journalist Mehmet Altan, was acquitted by the court on Monday after being released last year. Ilicak, a 74-year-old former MP, has written for leading newspapers, including Hurriyet.
Both Altan and Ilicak have denied any involvement in the failed coup, describing the accusations as 'grotesque'. They were accused of sending 'subliminal messages' during a televised panel hosted by Ilicak, which allegedly hinted at an imminent overthrow of the government.
