Executive of pro-Kurdish news agency faces trial for exposing informant’s identity
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has filed a lawsuit against Diren Yurtsever, managing editor of Mezopotamya Agency (MA), following a complaint by Sami Baran, a witness in the ongoing Kobanî trial.
Prosecutors accused Yurtsever of violating Article 6/3 of Turkey’s Anti-Terror Law, which prohibits revealing the identity of informants. The charges stem from several reports published by MA in 2021 and 2022.
The indictment was accepted by İstanbul’s 23rd Heavy Penal Court, and Yurtsever now faces a prison sentence of one to three years, along with a judicial fine ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 days.
Who is Sami Baran?
Baran had surrendered to authorities in 2019, claiming to be a former member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). He provided information about the organization under the “effective remorse” law and later testified as a witness in the Kobanî trial.
The Kobanî trial revolves around the violent protests that erupted across Turkey in 2014. A total of 108 defendants were prosecuted, including former leaders of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), with 18 of them in pretrial detention.
On May 16, 2024, the court issued its verdict, sentencing 24 individuals to lengthy prison terms, while 12, including former MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder, were acquitted. Several defendants, such as Gültan Kışanak, Sebahat Tuncel, and Ayla Akat, were released due to time served.
Verdict reached in Kobanî trial: Selahattin Demirtaş receives 42-year prison sentence
Baran was initially listed as a suspect in the case but was later designated as a witness. During his testimony, he stated that he had served three terms on HDP’s Party Council and claimed to know nearly all the defendants named in the indictment. He accused them of attempting to incite conflict between Kurds and Turks.
However, when asked in court whether the defendants had ties to the PKK, Baran replied, “I don’t know.” It was also revealed that he had given statements to law enforcement without a lawyer present.
Former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, who was also convicted in the Kobanî trial, commented on Baran’s testimony, saying, “He willingly became part of a setup.” (HA/VK)
Haziran 2018'den bu yana bianet muhabiri. 2013'te bianet'te staj yaptıktan sonra bianet'in projelerinde de yer aldı. Expression Interrupted, susma24.com, Jıneps, Inside Turkey, tol.org gibi platformlarda haber ve makaleleri yayınlandı. İfade özgürlüğü alanında birçok haber ve makaleye görüş verdi. Yazıları İngilizce başta olmak üzere Fransızca, İtalyanca ve Çerkesceye çevrildi. 8 Mart 2018’deki Feminist Gece Yürüyüşünde çektiği fotoğraflar İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesince sergilendi. 27. Metin Göktepe Gazetecilik Ödülünü kazandı. Erciyes Üniversitesi Gazetecilik mezunu.
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