Turkey Demands 11 Years behind Bars for Senior Journalist

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers his speech IN the Albanian Parliament, in Tirana, Albania, January 17, 2022. (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers his speech IN the Albanian Parliament, in Tirana, Albania, January 17, 2022. (Reuters)
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Turkey Demands 11 Years behind Bars for Senior Journalist

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers his speech IN the Albanian Parliament, in Tirana, Albania, January 17, 2022. (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers his speech IN the Albanian Parliament, in Tirana, Albania, January 17, 2022. (Reuters)

A Turkish prosecutor's office demanded 11 years in jail for a prominent journalist on charges of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and two ministers in his cabinet, Turkish news agencies reported on Friday.

Last month, a court ordered Sedef Kabas, a 52-year-old television journalist who mainly covers Turkish politics, to be jailed pending trial on a charge of insulting Erdogan, which carries a jail sentence of between one and four years.

The prosecutor also asked Kabas to be charged with insulting Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Transportation Minister Adil Karaismailoglu, for a combined jail term of 11 years.

Kabas was jailed pending trial over a proverb she cited during a political discussion on opposition TV channel Tele 1 and repeated on Twitter, which Erdogan's communications head and the justice minister condemned as a swipe at the president.

Earlier on Friday, the Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) and 37 press freedom organizations and journalists called on Turkey to release Kabas.

"The unfounded imprisonment of the noted journalist was met with widespread condemnation from local and international press freedom organizations as well as rights organizations and press freedom defenders," the joint statement said.

"Yet, the Turkish government and judiciary appear relentless and Sedef remains behind bars," it added.

Tens of thousands have been charged and convicted over the crime of insulting the president since Erdogan took office in 2014 after serving as prime minister for 11 years.

Between 2014 and the end of 2020, 160,169 such investigations were launched, 35,507 cases were filed and there were 12,881 convictions, official data shows.



G7 Statement will Not Mention ICC Warrant for Netanyahu

Protesters wave an Israeli flag and hold placards as they stand behind a banner reading, "Crime Minister" and demonstrate against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just before his corruption trial opens, outside his residence in Jerusalem May 24, 2020. The placard in Hebrew reads, " Indictment: favorable coverage = lying to the public" REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
Protesters wave an Israeli flag and hold placards as they stand behind a banner reading, "Crime Minister" and demonstrate against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just before his corruption trial opens, outside his residence in Jerusalem May 24, 2020. The placard in Hebrew reads, " Indictment: favorable coverage = lying to the public" REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
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G7 Statement will Not Mention ICC Warrant for Netanyahu

Protesters wave an Israeli flag and hold placards as they stand behind a banner reading, "Crime Minister" and demonstrate against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just before his corruption trial opens, outside his residence in Jerusalem May 24, 2020. The placard in Hebrew reads, " Indictment: favorable coverage = lying to the public" REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
Protesters wave an Israeli flag and hold placards as they stand behind a banner reading, "Crime Minister" and demonstrate against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just before his corruption trial opens, outside his residence in Jerusalem May 24, 2020. The placard in Hebrew reads, " Indictment: favorable coverage = lying to the public" REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo

A joint statement of Group of Seven foreign ministers is set to avoid mentioning the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, despite an effort by the Italian hosts to find a common position on it.

Italy, which currently chairs the G7, said on Monday it wanted to try to forge a common position about the ICC arrest warrant at a two-day meeting it hosted in the spa town of Fiuggi and which ended on Tuesday.

A draft of the final statement due to emerge from the discussions, reviewed by Reuters, did not directly name the ICC and its decisions.

"In exercising its right to defend itself, Israel must fully comply with its obligations under international law in all circumstances, including International Humanitarian Law," it said.

"We reiterate our commitment to International Humanitarian Law and will comply with our respective obligations," the statement added, stressing "that there can be no equivalence between the terrorist group Hamas and the State of Israel".

Last week, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defence chief Yoav Gallant, as well as a Hamas leader, Ibrahim Al-Masri, for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza conflict.

The move was strongly criticized by the United States but other states including Britain and Italy did not rule out that they could make an arrest if Netanyahu visited their countries.

Israel condemned the ICC decision as shameful and absurd. Hamas praised it as a step towards justice.