Visually impaired Turkish journalist Cüneyt Arat, who was jailed in July 2017 due to alleged links to the Gülen movement was released pending appeal from Tarsus Prison on Thursday.
Arat tweeted on Friday that his release was delayed due to court-appointed lawyer’s negligence. The lawyer did not participate in hearings and appeal against his sentencing, Arat wrote.
He also complained that gendarmerie officers left him near a hospital in the late evening yesterday despite his request to be dropped off at bus terminal since he was visually impaired. He wrote they also refused to help him take a taxi.
Arat was sentenced on Feb. 22, 2017 to 6 years 3 months in prison. He was also given one year, 10 months and 15 days jail time for promoting a “terrorist” organization.
Arat had been earlier arrested on July 21, 2016, for social media posts that allegedly praised the Gülen movement. The disabled journalist had been under house arrest wearing an electronic ankle bracelet.
The monthly benefit the ministry of social services normally pays to disabled people had been cut for him when he was jailed.
The most recent figures documented by SCF show that 183 journalists and media workers were in jail as of July 5, 2019. Of those in prison 87 were under arrest pending trial while 96 journalists have been convicted and are serving their time. Detention warrants are outstanding for 167 journalists who are living in exile or remain at large in Turkey.
The post Visually impaired journalist Cüneyt Arat released from prison appeared first on Stockholm Center for Freedom.
from Stockholm Center for Freedom https://stockholmcf.org/visually-impaired-journalist-cuneyt-arat-released-from-prison/
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