Can Dündar, a Turkish journalist living in exile, has been added to the Turkish Interior Ministry’s “Terrorist Wanted List,” local media reported on Friday.
Dündar was listed in the “gray category,” under which a reward of up to TL 500,000 ($26,710) is offered for information that leads to the apprehension of the suspect being sought.
On the ministry website, Dündar is described as a member of “FETÖ,” a derogatory term used by the Turkish government to refer to the faith-based Gülen movement as a terrorist organization.
The Turkish government accuses the Gülen movement of masterminding a coup attempt on July 15, 2016 and labels it a “terrorist organization,” although the movement strongly denies involvement in the coup attempt or any terrorist activity.
Dündar, former editor-in-chief of the Cumhuriyet daily, was arrested and jailed for 92 days for reporting on the interception of Syria-bound trucks allegedly belonging to Turkish intelligence. He was arrested on Nov. 26, 2015 and released on Feb. 26, 2016 following a Constitutional Court decision.
Shortly after his release and an attack on him, Dündar quit his position at Cumhuriyet and left Turkey as scores of other journalists under pressure have done. He has lived in Germany since June 2016.
An İstanbul court had tried him in connection with the Cumhuriyet story on the Turkish intelligence trucks allegedly carrying hidden weapons to opposition groups in Syria. He was sentenced to 27 years, six months on charges of political and military espionage and knowingly and willfully helping a terrorist organization, while the other charges were separated from the trial.
In early September, Turkish prosecutors launched an investigation into Dündar for posting a cartoon from a satirical magazine that allegedly targeted the country’s prosecutors, accusing the journalist of insulting the Turkish nation, the republic and state agencies and organs as well as the president.