Top Turkish court rejects jailed journalist Sedef Kabaş's request to be released
Turkey’s Constitutional Court (AYM) has rejected the request of the jailed journalist Sedef Kabaş for "immediate release through precautionary measures." Kabaş was jailed last month over charges of "insulting" President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Duvar English
After her release request was rejected by a local court, lawyers of Sedef Kabaş filed an application with the Constitutional Court (AYM), demanding the journalist's "immediate release through precautionary measures."
The AYM rejected the request on Feb. 16 on the grounds that there is no serious danger to the life or material and moral integrity of Kabaş, according to reporting by daily Cumhuriyet.
The lawyers also asked the top court to determine that the journalist's rights to personal freedom and security, freedom of expression, and freedom of the press had been violated with her imprisonment. The court will discuss this application later on.
Kavaş was jailed last month pending trial over charges of "insulting" President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. On Feb. 8, in a lawsuit filed against the journalist, Erdoğan demanded 250,000 liras in compensation for non-pecuniary damages.
Tens of thousands have been charged and convicted over the crime of "insulting the president" since Erdoğan 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.