The appeal against the detention of our correspondent İsmail Arı has been rejected!
The appeal against the detention of BirGün newspaper correspondent İsmail Arı, who was arrested on charges of “journalism-related offences”, has been rejected.
The appeal against the detention of our correspondent, journalist İsmail Arı, who was arrested on 22 March, has been rejected.
The Ankara 18th Criminal Court of First Instance, which examined the appeal against detention filed by Arı’s lawyers, ruled that “the detention order was in accordance with procedure and the law”.
Our reporter, known for his reports on corruption and irregularities in public institutions as well as other societal ills in the country, has been held at Sincan Prison for 16 days on charges of “publicly disseminating misleading information”.
IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW
In the appeal petition drafted by Arı’s lawyers regarding his detention, it was emphasised that the grounds for the arrest had not even been formally stated. The petition also noted that there is no strong suspicion of a crime against Arı. Arı’s lawyers stated that their client had repeatedly given statements regarding the investigations against him in Ankara, adding that “the detention order issued within the scope of the investigation is unlawful”.
THE PUBLIC WAS NOT MISLED
The lawyers further emphasised that the necessary conditions for the charge of “publicly disseminating misleading information”, levelled against Arı under the “Disinformation Law”, were not met in Arı’s reports. The lawyers commented, “Arı did not mislead the public; on the contrary, he ensured the public received accurate news.”
The court rejected the application made by Arı’s lawyers to challenge his detention.
