A Turkish court issued an arrest warrant for journalist Ayşe Kara on charges of being a member of an armed terrorist organization after she failed to appear for the third hearing in her retrial on Monday, the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) reported on Tuesday.
Kara, who currently resides in Germany, is being retried following an appeal that led to the overturning of her 2021 acquittal. Her lawyer, Resul Temur, informed the court of her overseas residency and requested that her testimony be taken using judicial assistance mechanisms. He pledged to provide her address if the request were granted. However, the court ruled against the motion, citing the alleged crime’s minimum penalty of five years and a prohibition on remote testimony for such offenses.
Kara was initially detained on June 26, 2020, during a probe into the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) and later released under judicial control. Prosecutors accused her of participating in activities linked to the DTK and alleged her affiliation with groups such as the Free Women’s Congress (KJA) and the Free Journalists Association.
The prosecutor argued that Kara could not be reached and called for an arrest warrant to secure her testimony. Agreeing with the prosecutor, the court ordered Kara’s arrest and requested an update from the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on any additional investigations into her case. The next hearing is scheduled for March 6.
The DTK is a Kurdish umbrella organization that includes political parties, civil society groups and activists advocating for Kurdish rights and regional self-governance in Turkey. Turkish authorities allege that the DTK operates as a front for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an armed group designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and much of the international community.
The indictment further cited Kara’s coverage of a 2016 protest organized by the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) in Mardin as criminal evidence. Kara has denied the allegations, maintaining that her activities were journalistic in nature. She previously said in her defense that she was not a DTK member and that her visits to their premises were for reporting purposes.
In a verdict issued on November 9, 2021, the court found insufficient evidence to convict Kara, leading to her acquittal. However, prosecutors appealed and the Diyarbakır Regional Court of Appeals overturned the decision. The appellate court highlighted potential links between Kara and other investigations, including her alleged use of code names and attendance at meetings purportedly held under the direction of the organization.
The case remains ongoing and the court will determine whether to merge it with related investigations.
It’s common for journalists and media workers in Turkey to face terrorism-related accusations as a result of their professional activities. Those employed at pro-Kurdish media outlets are frequently accused of membership in or spreading propaganda on behalf of the PKK.
Turkey, which became the world’s biggest prison for journalists in 2018, was ranked 158 of 180 countries in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index published by the Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
