MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed – Recently, crackdown on journalists has been intensifying in Turkey. Journalists face arrest, legal harassment and detention. Yesterday morning, police raided houses in nine cities as part of an investigation launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. In house raids, Mesopotamia Agency (MA) editor-in-chief Diren Yurtsever, MA reporters Deniz Nazlım, Selman Güzelyüz, Zemo Ağgöz, Berivan Altan, Hakan Yalçın, Emrullah Acar and Ceylan Şahinli and Jinnews reporters Habibe Eren and Öznur Değer and journalist Mehmet Günhan were taken into custody. The journalists have been detained for their reports, the Ankara Security Directorate said in a statement.

Confidentiality order has been issued

After the detention of the journalists, the prosecutor issued a confidentiality order on the investigation, claiming, “If the content of the investigation is learned, the purpose of the investigation may be jeopardized.” The prosecutor has also banned lawyers from seeing journalists for 24 hours. The detention period of 12 journalists is extended for one day. In addition, MA editor-in-chief Diren Yurtsever, who was detained in Istanbul, and MA reporter Hakan Yalçın, who was detained in Van, have been transferred to Ankara.

80 journalists are behind bars in Turkey

Turkey’s parliament passed new amendments known as the “censorship law” on October 13, 2022. One week later (yesterday), Jinnews reporter Derya Ren was detained and then sent to prison. Thus, the number of journalists, who are behind bars in Turkey, has increased to 80. On June 8, 16 Kurdish journalists were jailed. Although they have been kept in prison for more than four months, no indictment has been prepared against them. The journalists have been subjected to many rights violations in prison.

NuJINHA spoke to the relatives of arrested journalists. They call for immediate release of journalists. Although months have passed since their arrest, the journalists still do not know what they are accused of.

“There is no evidence to prepare an indictment”

Cameraperson Ramazan Geçiken is one of the 16 journalists, who have been kept in prison. His spouse Beritan Elyakut pointed out that the journalists have been kept in prison although there is no concrete evidence. “We know why the indictment has not been prepared until now. Because they cannot find any evidence that could constitute offense. There is no evidence to prepare an indictment. Since there is no evidence, they try to bring the journalists before the judge as late as possible,” Beritan Elyakut told us.

Mentioning that the journalists often face rights violations in prison since they were sent to prison, Beritan Elyakut said that journalists are not given newspapers to follow what happens in the country. “Journalists, who are behind bars, face intensified oppression. Every week, they have a 10-minute phone call. Every week, the prison administration asks our names and surnames to determine if we are relatives. In the beginning, we did not understand why we were asked our names and surnames. But then, we understood that they want to limit the phone calls of the journalists. Both journalists and other prisoners do not accept this practice and do not use their phone call right to protest this practice.”

“Journalists will continue to write”

Emphasizing that the journalists will continue to write despite all the pressure, Beritan Elyakut said, “Keeping the journalists in prison without any accusation is a message to journalists saying, ‘You will not write the truth, if you write the truth, you will face such practices.’ But the journalist faced oppression and attacks before their arrest. Journalists will continue to write the truth despite all the pressure and attacks.”

“Journalists' right to a fair trial is being denied”

Suat Doğuhan is also one of the arrested 16 journalists. His spouse Güler Can Doğuhan, also a journalist, also pointed out that 16 journalists have been kept in prison for more than four months. “16 journalists have faced many rights violations in prison. Since June 16, we have not known what the journalists are accused of. Since they do not know what they are accused of, they will not defend themselves if they are brought before the judge. Journalists’ right to a fair trial is being denied. During their detention period, the lawyers did not receive any information about what the journalists are accused of. Although four months have passed, no indictment has been prepared. Journalists face arbitrary arrests.”

“Strengthen solidarity with the journalists”

Speaking about the “censorship law” passed by Turkey parliament, Güler Can Doğuhan said that the crackdown on journalists will be intensified. Calling to strengthen solidarity with the journalists against the intensified pressure on journalists, Güler Can Doğuhan said, “When 16 journalists were arrested, some journalists’ organizations showed their solidarity. However, the solidarity must be strengthened because journalists will face more pressure. The censorship law is one of the clearest indicators of this. People, journalists’ organizations and human rights organizations should raise their voices against this law. A country without freedom of the press is doomed to a dark future. The freedom of press and expression is a must for democracy. For this reason, we must struggle more.”