On Wednesday, a Turkish court gave jail sentences to five journalists for revealing the identities of two security agents, who died in Libya. The charges centred on articles and social media posts, published shortly after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, said in February that “several martyrs” had been lost in Libya.
Two journalists were sentenced to three years and nine months in prison. The remaining three were given four years and eight months, for violation of the National Intelligence Agency law, defence lawyer Celal Ulgen said after the hearing.
The defendants denied the accusations, saying they were doing their jobs as reporters. “We will take this ruling to an appeals court. This is not a lawful decision, this is a political decision,” Ulgen said. Two other defendants were acquitted from the charges, and the court delayed the case of an eighth defendant.
Turkey’s courts do not generally confirm rulings to the media, and there was no word on the case from the government. Critics say President Erdogan has eroded the independence of courts and the media, since a crackdown following an attempted coup in 2016. Officials say the courts are autonomous, and arrests have been necessary due to security risks.
Turkey has given military support and training to Libya’s internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), helping it against the forces of the Libyan National Army (LNA).