4 scholars on trial for criticizing Turkey's war with rebels
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Four Turkish academics are going on trial in Istanbul accused of spreading "terrorist propaganda" for signing a declaration denouncing the renewed conflict with Kurdish rebels.
In a separate courtroom also Friday, the closed-door trial resumes for two prominent opposition journalists who are accused of espionage and aiding a terrorist organization for their reports on alleged government arms-smuggling to Syria, as Turkey continues to clamp down on dissenting voices.
The four academics were among a group of more than 1,000 scholars who in January signed a declaration critical of the government's military operations against the Kurdish rebels. The declaration angered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and led to legal proceedings against some.
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The four were arrested last month after holding a news conference during which they stood by the declaration.