Journalist Pelin Özkaptan is accused of ‘making illegal organisation propaganda’ over her social media posts about a fallen fighter in Rojava, Eylem Ataş. The 3rd hearing of the lawsuit filed against Özkaptan was held at Istanbul Courthouse 13th Assize Court in Çağlayan on Thursday.

Eylem Ataş (Cemre Heval) travelled to Rojava in November 2015 and joined the struggle against ISIS in the ranks of the United Freedom Forces (BÖG). 23-year-old Ataş lost her life in Manbij whilst fighting against ISIS on 7 June 2016. Her body was kept at the border and not handed over to her family for 101 days.

Journalist Pelin Özkaptan did not attend the hearing, while lawyers Emine Özhasar and Didare Hazal Sümeli from Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) Legal Unit were present.

During the hearing, the prosecution repeated its final opinion from the previous hearing, demanding a penalty.

Lawyer Emine Özhasar, defending against the final opinion, stated that Pelin Özkaptan is a journalist and her posts were within the scope of journalistic activities and asked for her client's acquittal.

The court ruled that it was ‘fixed’ that journalist Özkaptan committed the crime of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ and sentenced her to 1 year 6 months and 22 days. The court deferred the announcement of the verdict.