Journalists in State of Emergency – 62

 
 
On May 16, the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court handed down prison sentences to human rights defender and journalist Murat Çelikkan and academic Beyza Üstün on charges of “terror propaganda” for symbolically editing pro-Kurdish Özgür Gündem for a day as part of a solidarity campaign with the daily, now shuttered.
 
The court, which tried Çelikkan and Üstün in two separate cases, sentenced Çelikkan to one and a half years in prison under Article 7 of the Anti-Terror Law. Judges refused to reduce the prison term or suspend its execution on the grounds that “the defendant did not show sufficient remorse.” Professor Üstün, on the other hand, was handed down a 15-month suspended prison sentence.
 
First hearing in Çorum journalists’ trial, 1 released
 
On Tuesday, six local journalists charged with “membership of a terrorist group” appeared before a court at the first hearing of their trial in the central Anatolian province of Çorum.
 
The Çorum 2nd High Criminal Court ordered continuation of the detention of five defendants, while releasing one on judicial control. The journalists, who were arrested in August on charges of “membership of FETÖ/PDY terrorist organization,” are former executives of two local newspapers that were subsequently closed down and former employees of the shuttered Zaman newspaper. They were identified in news reports as newspaper executives Lokman E., Nadir Y., and Murat Ö., who was released, and former Zaman employees Musa A., İdris O., and Burçin D.
 
Each defendant faces up to 10 years in jail.
 
DİHA correspondent released from jail
 
Nine people, including former correspondent of the now-defunct Dicle News Agency (DİHA) Mazlum Dolan, were released pending trial at the end of a hearing of their trial in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır on Tuesday.
 
Dolan was detained along with dozens of other people who were reportedly stranded during a curfew and clashes in Diyarbakır’s Sur district in February. Dolan’s lawyer said at the hearing that Dolan was in Sur as a journalist and that he was arrested for reporting events there.
 
P24 has updated its list of the journalists in prison in Turkey upon the release of Dolan and Murat Ö. in Çorum and in the light of newly available information. The detailed list of all imprisoned journalists can be viewed here.
 
New application to ECtHR for imprisoned journalists
 
Lawyers of two imprisoned journalists, Mahir Kanaat of Birgün daily and former news editor of Diken news portal Tunca Öğreten, applied to the European Court of Human Rights, Birgün reported on May 16.
 
Kanaat and Öğreten were first arrested on December 24, 2016 in connection with an investigation into the leaked e-mails of Turkey’s Energy Minister Berat Albayrak and were jailed pending trial some 24 days later on terrorism charges. Lawyers for Kanaat and Öğreten filed individual applications with the Constitutional Court on their behalf on March 6.
 
Letter from imprisoned journalist: I’ve been in solitary for weeks
 
Nedim Türfent, a local correspondent for the shuttered Dicle News Agency (DİHA) who has been jailed on terrorism charges since May 13, 2016, said in a letter published on Tuesday that he has been held in solitary confinement for 21 days in a high-security prison in the eastern province of Van.
 
Türfent was transferred to Van T-Type High Security Prison on April 26. In his letter to DİHABER news agency, Türfent said he has been held in a small cell since his transfer to the Van prison. His requests to be moved to one of three-inmate rooms have been rejected by the prison administration, claiming that all these rooms are occupied. Türfent also complained that he has not been given any book yet from the prison library.
 
Ahmet Altan presents defense in insult case
 
Renowned journalist and novelist Ahmet Altan presented his defense on May 16 before the Istanbul 30th Penal Court of First Instance in an “insult” case. Altan, currently held in pre-trial detention in a different case, is accused of “insulting the president” in an article titled “Yeni Ergenekon” (New Ergenekon), which was published in Punto24 Platform for Independent Journalism (P24) website on June 13, 2016. He faces up to 4 years and 8 months in jail if convicted.
 
Altan said in his defense that the article did not contain any insult or personal reference, insisting instead, that it expresses criticism of certain policies and those who implement these policies. “Tyranny is what’s left if you remove criticism from politics,” said Altan.
 
The court decided to adjourn the trial to September 28 at the end of the hearing.
 
Wikipedia decision to be taken to Constitutional Court
 
Anti-censorship and anti-self censorship group Susma Platform said on May 16 that it is preparing to file an application with the Constitutional Court against an Ankara court decision to block access to Wikipedia. Susma Platform has earlier applied to a local court to get the decision reversed but that application was rejected on the ground that the earlier decision to block access to Wikipedia was justified.
 
Municipality culture magazine shut down
 
On May 16, the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) announced that it was shutting down its cultural publication “1453 İstanbul Culture and Arts Magazine,” because of a photograph published in the latest issue of the magazine which featured the slogan “Erdo-Gone! İnşallah – Maşallah” appearing as graffiti on a city wall.
 
The magazine is published by Kültür A.Ş, an İBB-owned company.
 
In a statement about the closure, İBB said: “The ‘1453 İstanbul Culture and Arts magazine published by Kültür A.Ş has been shut down due to the content lacking in reason and sense featured in its latest issue. The contracts of the Publication Coordinator, Managing Editor and editor of the magazine have been terminated. Charges will be filed against those responsible for the inane, disrespectful and provocative content.”
 
List of imprisoned journalists in Turkey
 
1          Abdulkadir Turay, DİHA reporter
2          Abdullah Kılıç, Habertürk
3          Abdullah Özyurt, Zaman reporter
4          Abdulvahap İş (Freelance journalist)
5          Abdürrahim Ersöz, Antalya
6          Ahmet Altan
7          Ahmet Memiş, Gazeteci, Haberdar news website
8          Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, Zaman journalist
9          Ahmet Şık, Cumhuriyet reporter
10       Ahmet Turan Alkan, Zaman
11       Ahmet Yavaş, TRT (Erzurum)
12       Akın Atalay, Pres. of Cumhuriyet Foundation Executive Board
13       Alaattin Güner, Cihan media director
14       Ali Ahmet Böken, TRT News coordinator
15       Ali Aşikar – Azadiya Welat
16       Ali Babür Boysal, Zaman page designer
17       Ali Bulaç, Eski Zaman columnist
18       Ali Konar, Azadiya Welat bureau chief
19       Ali Ünal, Zaman columnist
20       Ali Yüce, TRT Radio broadcasts chief
21       Arafat Dayan, Demokratik Ulus
22       Aslı Ceren Aslan, Özgür Gelecek
23       Atilla Taş, Meydan columnist
24       Ayhan Demir, Çaldıran News Agency
25       Ayşe Nazlı Ilıcak
26       Ayşenur Parıldak, Zaman, Haberdar
27       Aytekin Gezici, journalist/writer
28       Aziz İstegün, Diyarbakır Zaman representative
29       Bayram Kaya, Zaman reporter
30       Beytullah Özdemir, Zaman Düzce bureau chief
31       Burçin Dokgöz, former Zaman and Çorum reporter
32       Bülent Utku, Cumhuriyet Foundation board member
33       Bünyamin Köseli, Aksiyon magazine reporter
34       Cebrail Parıltı, Anadolu Ajansı (AA) Derik reporter
35       Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Journalists and Writers’ Foundation
36       Ceren Taşkın, Hatay'ın Sesi
37       Cihan Acar, Bugün reporter
38       Cuma Kaya, Zaman
39       Cuma Ulus, Millet newspaper’s publications coordinator
40       Deniz Yücel, Die Welt
41       Emin Demir, Freelancer
42       Emre Soncan, Zaman defense reporter
43       Ercan Gün, Fox TV
44       Erdal Süsem, Eylül magazine editor
45       Erdal Şen, former Meydan managing editor
46       Erol Yüksel (TRT News Department vice president))
47       Erol Zavar, Odak magazine, owner and newsroom director
48       Fahrettin Kılıç, Özgür Toplum
49       Faruk Akkan, Cihan news agency
50       Fatma Ölmez (Radyo Ses employees)
51       Ferhat Çiftçi, Azadiya Welat Gaziantep bureau chief
52       Fevzi Yazıcı
53       Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Türksolu columnist
54       Gurbet Çakar, Hevi women’s magazine
55       Gültekin Avcı
56       Güray Tekin Öz, columnist
57       Habip Güler, Zaman reporter
58       Hakan Aksel, TRT producer-director
59       Hakan Ergün, Azadiya Welat and Özgür Gündem distributor
60       Hakan Karasinir, columnist
61       Hakan Taşdelen
62       Halil İbrahim Mert, TRT (Erzurum)
63       Hamit Dilbahar, Azadiya Welat columnist
64       Hamza Günerigök, TRT
65       Hanım Büşra Erdal, Zaman reporter and columnist
66       Hasan Duman, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi distributor
67       Haşim Söylemez, Aksiyon columnist
68       Hatice Duman, Atılım newspaper’s owner and managing editor
69       Hayati Yıldız, Azadiya Welat
70       Hidayet Karaca, Samanyolu Media Group President
71       Hülya Karakaya, Özgür Halk Managing Editor
72       Hüseyin Aydın, Cihan reporter
73       Hüseyin Turan, Zaman columnist
74       İbrahim Balta, Zaman business editor
75       İbrahim Kareyeğen, responsible editor for Zaman
76       İdris Okur, Cihan New Agency Çorum reporter
77       İdris Sayılgan, DİHA
78       İlker İlkan, Azadiya Welat
79       İnan Kızılkaya, Özgür Gündem Newsroom Editor
80       İsa Siyi, Haberdar
81       İsmail Avcı, Zaman
82       İsmail Efe, local press advisor in İzmir
83       Kadri Gürsel, Editorial Advisor
84       Kamuran Sunbat, DİHA Çukurova reporter (formerly)
85       Kazım Kızıl, Kamera Sokak
86       Kemal Sancılı, Özgür Gündem copyrights holder
87       Kenan Karavil, Radyo Dünya editor-in-chief
88       Lokman Erdoğan, Çorum Manşet, owner
89       Mahir Kanaat, BirGün, head of accountingn
90       Mehmet Altan
91       Mehmet Baransu, Taraf columnist/reporter
92       Mehmet Dener, Şanlıurfa.com editor-in-chief
93       Mehmet Güleş, DİHA
94       Mehmet Kuru, Zaman Eskişehir reporter
95       Mehmet Özdemir, Zaman columnist
96       Meltem Oktay, DİHA reporter
97       Meşale Tolu, ETHA translater
98       Mikail Barut, Özgür Halk former editor
99       Miktat Algül, Mezitli FM General Publications Coordinator
100     Mizgin Çay – Radyo Karacadağ
101     Muhammet Taşçılar, Şanlıurfa.com editor-in-chief
102     Murat Aksoy,former Yeni Şafak columnist
103     Murat Avcıoğlu, Zaman
104     Murat Dağdeviren (Demokrat Gebze owner)
105     Murat Sabuncu, Editor-in- Chief
106     Musa Kart, Cartoonist
107     Mustafa Erkan Acar, Bugün news editor,
108     Mustafa Gök, Ankara bureau chief for Ekmek ve Adalet magazine
109     Mustafa Kemal Güngör, Cumhuriyet Foundation board member
110     Mustafa Ünal, Zaman
111     Mutlu Çölgeçen, Millet, newsroom coordinator
112     Mümtazer Türköne, Zaman columnist
113     Nadir Yücel, Çorum Yıldız (local) Editor-in-Chief
114     Nedim Türfent,DİHA
115     Nizamettin İzgi (Batman Newspaper’s owner)
116     Nur Ener, Yeni Asya
117     Nuri Durna, TRT
118     Nuri Yeşil, Azadiya Welat Dersim bureau chief
119     Nurullah Kaya, G.antep Zaman representative
120     Oğuz Güven, Cumhuriyet
121     Oğuz Usluer, Habertürk former broadcasts coordinator
122     Olgun Matur, Antalya local journalist
123     Osman Yakut, Zaman Antalya
124     Ozan Kaplanoğlu, Bursa Muhalif
125     Ömer Çelik, DİHA news manager
126     Ömer Oruç, Cihan newspaper
127     Ömer Özdemir, Antalya eski Zaman muhabiri
128     Önder Çelik, Cumhuriyet Foundation board member
129     Özcan Keser (TRT reporter)
130     Özgür Amed (Ethem Çağır), Özgür Gündem writer
131     Özkan Mayda, Antalya reporter with Zaman
132     Rabia Özkaya, Özgür Halk
133     Ramazan Alkan, Yeni Akit reporter
134     Resul Cengiz, Denizli reporter with Zaman
135     Sadık Demir – Radyo Karacadağ
136     Salih Erbekler – Radyo Karacadağ
137     Sami Tunca, Mücadele Birliği magazine Managing Editor
138     Selman Keleş, DİHA
139     Serhat Şeftali, Zaman regional bureau chief for the Med region
140     Serkan Aydemir, Bitlis Aktüel reporter
141     Seyid Kılıç, TRT News
142     Seyithan Akyüz, Azadiya Welat Adana bureau chief
143     Şahabettin Demir, DİHA reporter
144     Şahin Alpay, Zaman columnist
145     Şeref Yılmaz, Irmak TV
146     Şerife Oruç, DİHA reporter
147     Şirin Çoban, Azadiya Welat
148     Tahsin Kürklü, Zaman – head of Logistics Department
149     Togay Okay, Özgür Gelecek
150     Tunca Öğreten, former Diken editor
151     Tuncer Çetinkaya, Zaman Antalya
152     Turhan Günay, Chief Editor of Cumhuriyet supplement
153     Ufuk Şanlı, former Vatan columnist
154     Ulaş Sezgin, ETHA reporter
155     Ünal Tanık, Rota Haber editor-in-chief
156     Vahit Yazgan, İzmir Zaman bureau chief
157     Vedat Beki, Sözcü 18
158     Vedat Demir, former Yarına Bakış writer
159     Yakup Çetin, Zaman reporter
160     Yakup Şimşek, Zaman, marketing director
161     Yalçın Güler, TRT (Erzurum)
162     Yener Dönmez, Habervaktim news website
163     Yetkin Yıldız, Aktif Haber website editor
164     Yılmaz Kahraman, Özgür Halk editor
165     Zafer Özsoy
166     Ziya Ataman, DİHA reporter