4 Turkish journalists released from jail, Erdogan makes comments

PanARMENIAN.Net - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday, March 13, made a brief statement on the release of four journalists jailed pending trial for more than a year in a coup plot investigation, saying he hopes the court's decision will lead to positive results and noted that the journalists still face trial.

“May it be the best for our nation,” Erdoğan told reporters after addressing his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Parliament. “They will continue to stand trial without imprisonment.”

The Prime Minister had repeatedly brushed aside criticism from human rights groups and politicians at home as well as in the EU and the U.S. that the detention of journalists in coup plot or anti-terror cases cast a shadow on press freedoms in Turkey. However, in his comments he referred to Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç's statement on Monday evening welcoming the release of the four journalists.

“He offered a good assessment of the decision,” Erdoğan said, in reference to Arınç's comments. The deputy prime minister had said: “One can only be glad at their release. It is saddening that they spent 375 days in prison.”

The journalists - Ahmet Şık, Nedim Şener, Coşkun Musluk and Sait Çakır - were released on Monday afternoon. They are facing charges of involvement in the media wing of Ergenekon, a shadowy network believed to have plotted to topple the government.

Erdoğan has repeatedly said jailed journalists are not facing trial because of what they have written, but because of allegations of involvement in criminal activities that have nothing to do with their profession.