The first court hearing in the trial of Dutch journalist, Frederike Geerdink, based in Amed, who is accused of “making PKK propaganda” because of her posts on social media, has been held in Amed.

While Geerdink denied the charges, the hearing was adjourned to 13 April.

The court session was held today in the 6th Serious Criminal Court in Amed. Geerdink faces 1 to 5 years in prison in the prosecutor’s indictment. The hearing was attended by members of Journalists Without Borders (RSF), Dutch journalists as well as representatives from the Dutch embassy in Turkey.

The prosecutor, who originally asked for a 6-year prison sentence for Geerdink in the indictment this time asked for acquittal, saying that the legal requirements of making propaganda for an organisation had not been adequately met, while her interview with the KCK co-president Cemil Bayık was an act of journalism and her posts on social media were her individual views. On the basis of this, the prosecutor asked for Geerdink’s acquittal, while the court adjourned the hearing to 13 April.