Travel ban on prominent journalist Hasan Cemal lifted

The Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court on Dec. 2 lifted a travel ban imposed on prominent journalist Hasan Cemal after an appeal filed by his lawyer. Cemal was in Istanbul Airport to head to Berlin early on Dec. 1, when police seized his passport.

Duvar English

The Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court on Dec. 2 revoked a travel ban imposed on prominent journalist Hasan Cemal following an appeal made by the journalist's lawyer.

Cemal announced on Twitter that authorities would soon hand him his passport. “My passport is being returned; I thank everyone who did not refrain from giving their support,” he wrote on Dec. 2.

The veteran journalist found out about his travel ban as he was in Istanbul Airport to head to Berlin early on Dec. 1. The police seized his passport and made him sign a document which said his travel ban had begun on Nov. 11.

Cemal received a suspended jail sentence of three months and 22 days in 2018 over a series of articles on the Kurdish issue in Turkey. After finding about Cemal's travel ban, his lawyer petitioned the Istanbul 24th High Criminal Court for the removal of ban, pointing out that the journalist's case was currently being overseen by the Court of Cassation, Turkey's highest court of appeals.