Mezopotamya Agency journalists Topaloğlu and Eser appear in court

The hearing of the trial against Mezopotamya Agency reporter Sadık Topaloğlu and journalist Sadiye Eser, accused of being "members of an illegal organization", was held.

The third hearing of the trial of Mezopotamya Agency (MA) reporter Sadık Topaloğlu and journalist Sadiye Eser, who were accused of  being "members of an illegal organization", was held at Istanbul 22nd High Criminal Court in Çağlayan. Topaloğlu and Eser attended the hearing together with their lawyers as they are tried without arrest.

Özgür Baran, who made a statement about Eser and Topaloğlu did not attend the hearing. The court had decided to bring Baran to the court by police force in the previous hearing.

Eser and Topaloğlu stated that they had nothing to say at this stage of the trial.

Topaloğlu's lawyer Ayşe Acinikli requested the court to lift the ban on leaving the country for her client.

Announcing its interim decision, the court board said it would re-write the instructions to the Police Department to bring witness Özgür Baran by force and to extend the ban on leaving the country for Topaloğlu. The trial was adjourned to 8 June.