A prominent Turkish opposition journalist was shot at on Friday just moments before a verdict was to be given in his trial on charges of revealing
ADVERTISEMENTA prominent Turkish opposition journalist was shot at on Friday just moments before a verdict was to be given in his trial on charges of revealing state secrets.
The assailant is said to have shouted “traitor” before firing two or three shots at Can Dundar outside the court in Istanbul during a break in proceedings.
Dundar, the editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet daily newspaper, was unharmed and the shooter was detained.
However one of the bullets reportedly grazed a reporter covering the trial.
“I don’t know who attacked me,” said Dundar. “But I know very well those who are targeting me. It’s normal that a journalist who has been a target for months lives through such an event. I hope that those targeting me will learn a lesson from this.”
Dundar was later sentenced to five years and ten months for publishing footage purporting to show Turkish state intelligence transporting weapons into Syria in 2014.
Erdem Gul, the newspaper’s Ankara bureau chief was given five years.
Both were acquitted of trying to overthrow the government.
The case has drawn international criticism of press freedom in Turkey.