A Turkish court in Diyarbakır (Amed) has ruled to release Kurdish journalist Dicle Müftüoğlu after more than 10 months of detention.
Müftüoğlu, known for her significant contributions to journalism, which earned her the ‘Most Resilient Journalist’ award by Free Press Unlimited as the co-chair of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) and an editor at the Mezopotamya Agency (MA), was detained on 29 April and sent to prison on 3 May 2023, World Press Freedom Day.
This was the third time the journalist appeared before a judge, facing terrorism charges, though a review of the 43-page indictment reveals no specific accusations against her.
Despite clear evidence during her two court hearings showing that Müftüoğlu’s activities were solely related to her journalistic work, she had not been granted bail until Wednesday’s trial.
During the trial, prosecutors sought to prolong her detention while her lawyers pushed for acquittal. The trial, monitored by press freedom organisations, featured a testimony from an anonymous witness whose statements lacked direct evidence. Müftüoğlu defended herself, emphasising her extensive journalistic experience.
The court decided on her release with an international travel ban, postponing the trial to 13 June.