The local court has ruled that journalist Can Dündar, who is currently abroad, shall be considered a “fugitive” and his property shall be confiscated on the grounds that he has failed to appear in court within 15 days.
Standing trial over a news report published on daily Cumhuriyet regarding the trucks of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) stopped by gendarmerie officers, journalist Can Dündar has been declared a “fugitive” and his property has been confiscated by a court verdict.
In the previous hearing on September 17, the İstanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court ruled that Dündar should be considered a “fugitive” and his entire property should be confiscated if he failed to appear in court within 15 days. This over two-week time given by the local court has expired.
In the interlocutory hearing held today, the court has ruled that Can Dündar’s property shall be confiscated as he has not turned himself in.
Journalist Can Dündar, who was the Editor-in-Chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper when the related news was reported, is currently abroad.
CLICK – Property of journalist Can Dündar to be confiscated if he fails to appear in court
Announcing its interlocutory ruling, the court board has indicated that despite the due announcement of the court, Can Dündar has not turned himself in to the court or any courthouse or law enforcement agency within the borders of Turkey and ruled that he shall now be considered a “fugitive.”
According to this court ruling, the independent section detected to belong to journalist Can Dündar in Kültür Neighborhood in Çankaya district in Ankara, the independent section that belongs to him in Dikmen Neighborhood in Ankara, the independent section in Bodrum, Muğla and the main immovables in Üsküdar, İstanbul have been confiscated.
Trustee appointed to Dündar’s property
The court has also ruled that a writ shall be addressed to the Banks Association of Turkey (TBB) to identify the bank accounts of the journalist and a letter shall be addressed to the related banks to implement the seizure of his draw-savings bank accounts based on the reply of the TBB.
Considering the number of the confiscated immovables and the amount of claims, the Saving Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) has been appointed as a trustee by the court to manage the property in question.
Dündar shared a tweet about the confiscation and said: “Main ‘home’ of a person is the homeland. we, as 82 millionen citizens, are about to loose in the darkness that great house. That is more noteworthy than any other houses…”
Resource: bianet.org