Çaglar, Mücadele’s Ankara correspondent, was arrested at the funeral of a political activist and charged with membership in an illegal organization. He has been in prison since his arrest. On January 23, 1995, he was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison for alleged membership in the outlawed Dev Sol organization. CPJ believes Çaglar’s work as a journalist may have led to his prosecution.
The state based its case on Çaglar’s testimony and the statements of two people who said that Çaglar was a member of Dev Sol. The prosecution said that Çaglar had admitted to hanging posters with leftist slogans around the city, and stated that Çaglar had burned a U.S. flag at Ankara University and shouted leftist slogans during the funeral at which he was arrested. He was also accused of resisting arrest on that occasion.
In his defense, Çaglar recanted the testimony he gave while in police custody. He denied all charges, saying that he had attended the funeral in his capacity as a journalist. Upon conviction he was sent to Konya Prison. He is now in Ankara Closed Prison.
