Court rejects appeal against jailing of main opposition CHP deputy Berberoğlu

An Istanbul court on June 19 rejected an appeal against the jailing of main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) deputy Enis Berberoğlu.

Berberoğlu was jailed on June 14, after an Istanbul court sentenced him to 25 years for "leaking state secrets" regarding a National Intelligence Organization (MİT) trucks case. The court ruled that Berberoğlu had "knowingly helped a terror organization" by providing "state secrets" to the media. 

A day earlier, Berberoğlu said he will not be free until there is press freedom in Turkey. His message was shared on June 18 by CHP deputy Mahmut Tanal after a one-hour visit to Istanbul's Maltepe Prison, where the lawmaker is imprisoned.

"Dear warriors of justice, I have from the very first moment seen this matter as an issue of press freedom. So, unless there is freedom of media in our country, I cannot be happy when I'm outside or inside. Because of this, I give my support to the justice march [of CHP] with my sincerest feelings, and I convey my wishes of power and success to you," Berberoğlu said in his message. 

"We will ask for justice for everyone. We invite every fraction [of society] to join this justice march; those who suffered, those seeking justice, those seeking the state of law, those seeking democracy, those seeking the rule of law and those seeking a just trial. We want to have support on social media and in the march. If you are not able to come, take five steps within your houses for justice," Tanal told journalists before entering Maltepe Prison.  

CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu commenced a march from Ankara to Istanbul on June 15 in protest at the arrest of Berberoğlu. Kılıçdaroğlu is set to march over 24 days from the capital to Istanbul, a distance of around 450 km,...

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