Journalist Horuz Sentenced to 15 Years

His wife Seza Horuz said she was thinking of appealing the case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

The Ankara State Security Court (DGM) sentenced Horuz to 15 years in prison based on article 168/2 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

Horuz, who is in the Sincan F-type prison (Turkey's maximum security prisons) said that "confessor" Erol Cetin was lying. Horuz said there is a plot against him because of his political identity and his thoughts.

Uygun: He stayed for 15 days, he interviewed us

Defendant "confessor" Erol Cetin, who wanted to take advantage of a regret reduction in his sentence, was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison.

"A journalist called Zeki Uygun joined the group," said Cetin.

"He stayed with us for 15 days, he videotaped and took photographs. He interviewed the group leaders and me. The interviews, photographs, and Zeki Uygun's observations were published in the Free Future magazine. Zeki Uygun is actually Memik Horuz," said Cetin.

Defendant Horuz rejected Cetin's statements. "Everyone knows me. I don't need to use a false name. They want to punish me so that Erol Cetin is salvaged," Horuz said.

Horuz was detained on June 17, 2001 in Istanbul. He was arrested in Tokat because of charges of "being a member of an illegal organization." (BB/EA/NM)