OSCE Welcomes Acquittal Of Austrian Journalist Zirngast From Terrorism Charges In Turkey

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir on Wednesday welcomed the acquittal of Max Zirngast, an Austrian journalist who was a year ago detained in Turkey for three months and banned from traveling abroad due to a suspected affiliation with terrorist activities

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 11th September, 2019) OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir on Wednesday welcomed the acquittal of Max Zirngast, an Austrian journalist who was a year ago detained in Turkey for three months and banned from traveling abroad due to a suspected affiliation with terrorist activities.

On Wednesday, Zirngast was acquitted of the charges and cleared of an international travel ban by Ankara's 26th Heavy Penal Court in the second hearing.

"I welcome today's acquittal and the lifting of international travel ban of Austrian journalist Max Zirngast in Turkey. He was arrested on this day last year and spent 3 months in prison on alleged terrorism related charges.

Journalists should never be imprisoned for their work," Desir posted on Twitter.

On September 11 last year, Zirngast was arrested in Ankara while studying political science at the middle East Technical University (ODTU) and writing for several left-wing media sources. He was held in pre-trial custody for three months on charges of "being a member of the Communist Party of Turkey/Spark," which Ankara considers a terrorist organization.

Back then, Desir severely criticized the Turkish anti-terrorist legislation, claiming that it served as a tool for the government to suppress media freedom.