Journalists in State of Emergency – 86

 
 On August 18, a Turkish court ruled for the release of two journalists in the first hearing of a “coup attempt” related trial where thirteen journalists, 12 of whom are in prison, stand accused of attempting to overthrow the government and the constitutional order.
 
The court ruled to keep the remaining 10 journalists in prison.
 
The defendants were all suspects in another trial where they were accused of “membership in a terrorist organization.” In March, they were released, only to be detained a few hours later as part of another investigation on charges of participating in the coup attempt of July 15, 2016. The charges in the new indictment are “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order” and “attempting to overthrow the government or render it unable to fulfil its duties.” The prosecution seeks two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole for each defendants.
 
The defendants are Habertürk TV broadcasts coordinator Abdullah Kılıç, Zaman newspaper news manager Ali Akkuş, former pop singer and Meydan newspaper columnist Atilla Taş, Aksiyon news weekly’s reporter Bünyamin Köseli, Bugün daily reporter Cihan Acar, Türk Solu magazine’s chief columnist Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Cihan news agency reporter Hüseyin Aydın, Yeni Şafak and Millet writer Murat Aksoy, Özgür Düşünce editor Erkan Acar, Habertürk TV coordinator Oğuz Usluer, TRT News reporter Seyid Kılıç, Zaman’s court reporter Yakup Çetin and Aktif Haber news website editor-in-chief Yetkin Yıldız.
 
The trial on August 16-18 was heard by the Istanbul 25th High Criminal Court, which ruled for the release of Bünyamin Köseli and Cihan Acar under judicial probation measures and an international travel ban. The court also ruled to keep judicial control measures for Ali Akkuş, who was released earlier pending trial, in place.
 
The court also ruled to merge the “coup attempt” trial with the other trial where the journalists were earlier charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” but released on March 31. The first session in the merged trial will be heard on October 24.
 
In that other trial, there are a total of 29 suspects, who are accused of being part of the media arm of the “Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ),” the name used by Turkish authorities for the group allegedly behind the July 15 coup attempt. When 21 suspects — including the 13 who were tried on August 16-18 on new charges — were released in March, the judges sitting on the panel of the court were removed from their position, as well as the prosecutor assigned to the trial.
 
Testimony from defendants
 
The trial began at the Istanbul Courthouse on August 16. In the first day, Cihan Acar, Abdullah Kılıç, Bünyamin Köseli and Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu submitted their defense statements.
 
Acar, who recalled the night of his release that never came and his immediate detention on coup charges in his testimony said: “It wasn’t me who was on trial that night. It was my mother, my sister and my family. I wanted to die so many times during that night.”
 
The former Bugün reporter, who has been imprisoned for 13 months, said he was getting professional help from a psychiatrist. In response to the allegations that he had had phone conversation with individuals who were being investigated for terror crimes, or for using an encrypted communications app called ByLock, Acar said all of the conversations had taken place during work hours and were obviously calls made to get statements or views as a journalist.
 
He said according to news reports, the application ByLock — allegedly used by members of the Fethullah Gülen network — was used by 215,000 individuals. He added: “If every single user speaks to 100 other people on the phone, that would make 21 million people. Can all those people be considered guilty?”
 
Habertürk TV Broadcasts Coordinator Abdullah Kılıç in his defense statement said that he posted many tweets condemning the coup attempt on the night of July 15.
 
He said the indictment treats his employment at Meydan newspaper for 11 months as a crime. He also said that phone records showing 20 instances of conversations with terror suspects or ByLock users were all related to conversations he had as part of his journalism activities.
 
Bünyamin Köseli, said on the day of the coup attempt, he was busy compiling documents to open an antiques shop. “Would anyone who knows that a coup attempt will take place on the night of the same day try to start a new business? Am I participating in the coup by trying to launch an antiques stores while someone else plots a coup?”
 
TürkSolu writer Çulhaoğlu in his statement said he has been “against FETÖ from the get go.” He said: “You can’t make a coup supporter out of Gökçe Fırat. You can’t ever make a FETÖist coup supporter.”
 
He added: “Journalism cannot be grounds for accusations. Only readers can punish journalism.”
 
Hüseyin Aydın, Murat Aksoy, Erkan Acar, Oğuz Usluer, Atilla Taş, Seyid Kılıç and Yakup Çetin testified on the second day of the trial.
 
Hüseyin Aydın said he worked as a reporter for Cihan news agency; adding that the money found in his accounts in Bank Asya — affiliated with the Fethullah Gülen network — are only his salary payments. He said he was only being accused of such a grave accusation as helping a coup attempt just for working at Cihan.
 
“How can I possibly know someone I talked with had ByLock,” he said in response to allegations that he conversed with ByLock users on the phone.
 
“Journalism is not a crime”
 
Murat Aksoy, who testified next in the trial, said he always asked for “more democracy, more freedom and more justice.”
 
“Unfortunately we are defending journalism today. Journalism is not a crime, even if you don’t like it or if you criticize it.” He also responded to allegations stemming from talking to 12 ByLock users, traveling abroad and working at the Taraf daily for seven months.
 
“If extending criticism is a crime, then I can be accused. But I am being tried for two life sentences over phone conversations with 13 people.”
 
Erkan Acar, who testified next, said the indictment treated the Özgür Düşünce newspaper where he worked as a criminal publication. He said the newspaper was a legally established publication.
 
Usluer: A journalist can talk to anyone
 
In his defense testimony, Oğuz Usluer said the prosecutor had failed to provide evidence showing that he helped the coup plot. “I am a journalist and a journalist can talk to anyone. We can report on any event where we see a benefit for the common good,” he said.
 
“Am I one of Zeus’s subjects?”
 
Atilla Taş, a former pop singer and later a columnist for the Meydan newspaper, also submitted his defense testimony. Taş’s testimony was emotional and at times, he couldn’t hold back tears. He denied all accusations regarding participating in the coup attempt: “I would have killed myself if I were guilty in the slightest sense.”
 
Recalling a recent statement from the Turkish justice minister that “there is not a single subject of God in Turkey imprisoned for posting a tweet,” Atilla Taş said: “Am I one of Zeus’s subjects? I am being accused based on my tweets.” Taş asked for his release at the end of his statement.
 
Journalists Seyid Kılıç and Yakup Çetin also denied the accusations. Kılıç said he had never been investigated for any of his reporting, and that he always defended the law and democracy.
 
“Two trials based on the same accusation.”
 
Journalists Ali Akkuş and Yetkin Yıldız submitted their defense statements on the final day of the trial. Yıldız said the accusations leveled against him in the new indictment was not in the slightest different from the first indictment in the earlier trial where he was released: “I am being accused of ‘membership in a terrorist organization’ in one trial, and ‘attempting a coup’ in another, based on completely the same accusations.”
 
Similarly, Akkuş who was released pending trial, said there were no new allegations against him. “Since one person cannot be tried twice on the same accusations, I demand that this case be dropped,” Akkuş said.
 
DİHA reporter arrested
 
Mehmet Sıddık Damar, formerly a reporter for the shuttered news agency DİHA, was arrested and put in prison on August 18 over his social media posts in Mardin's Kızıltepe district.
 
Damar went to the Kızıltepe Courthouse to testify in an investigation against him. He was referred to court on charges of “propaganda on behalf of a terrorist organization.” The court ruled for his arrest on the same charges and Damar was sent to Mardin Prison.
 
Following the release of two journalists in the coup attempt trial and Damar’s imprisonment, the total number of journalists in jail whose names are known publicly changed to 170. For a full list of imprisoned journalists, click here.

Writer Akhanlı arrested in Spain at Turkey’s request
 
Turkish-born German writer and human rights defender Doğan Akhanlı was arrested in the Spanish city of Granada on August 18 after Turkey issued an Interpol warrant for him.
 
Akhanlı, a member of PEN International, was arrested during a police ID check when it turned out that there was an Interpol “red notice” on him. Reports said the 60-year-old writer, who has been living in Cologne, Germany since 1992, might be held in Spain until authorities decide whether to extradite him to Turkey.

 
Restrictions imposed on Meşale Tolu trial
 
Various restrictions have been introduced in the case of ETHA translator and reporter Meşale Tolu, who will appear before a court on October 11-12 as per a ruling of the Istanbul 29th High Criminal Court.
 
According to the new rules adopted by the court for the trial of Tolu, who also has German citizenship, no more than five journalists from foreign agencies will be allowed inside the courtroom. National media reporters will be vetted for security and only one person from the same media organization will be allowed inside the courtroom. Meanwhile, for family members and others who would like to attend the trial, special cards will be issued for entry into the courtroom after their credentials are reviewed by the court.
 
Tolu faces up to 20 years in prison on terror-related charges.
 
List of journalists in prison in Turkey — as of August 19, 2017
 
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 Feyzullah Özyurt
8          Ahmet Memiş, Gazeteci, Haberdar news website
9          Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, Zaman journalist
10       Ahmet Şık, Cumhuriyet reporter
11       Ahmet Turan Alkan, Zaman
12       Ahmet Yavaş, TRT (Erzurum)
13       Akın Atalay, Pres. of Cumhuriyet Foundation Executive Board
14       Alaattin Güner, Cihan media director
15       Ali Ahmet Böken, TRT News coordinator
16       Ali Aşikar – Azadiya Welat
17       Ali Babür Boysal, Zaman page designer
18       Ali Bulaç, Eski Zaman columnist
19       Ali Konar, Azadiya Welat bureau chief
20       Ali Ünal, Zaman columnist
21       Ali Yüce, TRT Radio broadcasts chief
22       Arafat Dayan, Demokratik Ulus
23       Aslı Ceren Aslan, Özgür Gelecek
24       Atilla Taş, Meydan columnist
25       Ayhan Demir, Çaldıran News Agency
26       Ayşe Nazlı Ilıcak
27       Ayşenur Parıldak, Zaman, Haberdar
28       Aytekin Gezici, journalist/writer
29       Aziz İstegün, Diyarbakır Zaman representative
30       Bayram Kaya, Zaman reporter
31       Beytullah Özdemir, Zaman Düzce bureau chief
32       Burak Ekici, Birgün
33       Burçin Dokgöz, former Zaman and Çorum reporter
34       Cebrail Parıltı, Anadolu Ajansı (AA) Derik reporter
35       Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Journalists and Writers’ Foundation
36       Ceren Taşkın, Hatay'ın Sesi
37       Cuma Kaya, Zaman
38       Cuma Ulus, Millet newspaper’s publications coordinator
39       Cüneyt Seza Özkan, Samanyolu TV
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       Erdoğan Alayamut, Dihaber reporter
47       Erol Yüksel (TRT News Department vice president))
48       Erol Zavar, Odak magazine, owner and newsroom director
49       Fahrettin Kılıç, Özgür Toplum
50       Faruk Akkan, Cihan news agency
51       Ferhat Çiftçi, Azadiya Welat Gaziantep bureau chief
52       Fevzi Yazıcı
53       Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Türksolu columnist
54       Gökmen Ulu, Sözcü
55       Gurbet Çakar, Hevi women’s magazine
56       Gültekin Avcı
57       Habip Güler, Zaman reporter
58       Hakan Aksel, TRT producer-director
59       Hakan Ergün, Azadiya Welat and Özgür Gündem distributor
60       Hakan Taşdelen
61       Halil İbrahim Mert, TRT (Erzurum)
62       Hamit Dilbahar, Azadiya Welat columnist
63       Hamza Günerigök, TRT
64       Hanım Büşra Erdal, Zaman reporter and columnist
65       Hasan Duman, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi distributor
66       Hatice Duman, Atılım newspaper’s owner and managing editor
67       Hayati Yıldız, Azadiya Welat
68       Hidayet Karaca, Samanyolu Media Group President
69       Hülya Karakaya, Özgür Halk Managing Editor
70       Hüseyin Aydın, Cihan reporter
71       Hüseyin Turan, Zaman columnist
72       İbrahim Balta, Zaman business editor
73       İbrahim Kareyeğen, responsible editor for Zaman
74       İdris Okur, Cihan New Agency Çorum reporter
75       İdris Sayılgan, DİHA
76       İlker İlkan, Azadiya Welat
77       İnan Kızılkaya, Özgür Gündem Newsroom Editor
78       İsmail Avcı, Zaman
79       İsmail Efe, local press advisor in İzmir
80       Kadri Gürsel, Editorial Advisor
81       Kamuran Sunbat, DİHA Çukurova reporter (formerly)
82       Kemal Sancılı, Özgür Gündem copyrights holder
83       Kenan Karavil, Radyo Dünya editor-in-chief
84       Lokman Erdoğan, Çorum Manşet, owner
85       Loup Bureau, freelancer
86       Mahir Kanaat, BirGün, head of accountingn
87       Mediha Olgun, Sözcü
88       Mehmet Ali Aya
89       Mehmet Altan
90       Mehmet Baransu, Taraf columnist/reporter
91       Mehmet Çakmakçı, Medyascope.tv 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       Mehmet Sıddık Damar
97       Meltem Oktay, DİHA reporter
98       Meşale Tolu, ETHA translater
99       Mikail Barut, Özgür Halk former editor
100     Miktat Algül, Mezitli FM General Publications Coordinator
101     Mizgin Çay – Radyo Karacadağ
102     Muhammet Taşçılar, Şanlıurfa.com editor-in-chief
103     Muhsin Pilgir, Zaman and Cihan news agency
104     Murat Aksoy,former Yeni Şafak columnist
105     Murat Avcıoğlu, Zaman
106     Murat Çapan,
107     Murat Çelikkan (Özgür Gündem solidarity trial)
108     Murat Dağdeviren (Demokrat Gebze owner)
109     Murat Sabuncu, Editor-in- Chief
110     Mustafa Erkan Acar, Bugün news editor,
111     Mustafa Gök, Ankara bureau chief for Ekmek ve Adalet magazine
112     Mustafa Ünal, Zaman
113     Mutlu Çölgeçen, Millet, newsroom coordinator
114     Mutlu Özay, Cihan reporter
115     Mümtazer Türköne, Zaman columnist
116     Nadir Yücel, Çorum Yıldız (local) Editor-in-Chief
117     Nedim Türfent,DİHA
118     Nizamettin İzgi (Batman Newspaper’s owner)
119     Nur Ener, Yeni Asya
120     Nuri Durna, TRT
121     Nuri Yeşil, Azadiya Welat Dersim bureau chief
122     Nurullah Kaya, G.antep Zaman representative
123     Oğuz Usluer, Habertürk former broadcasts coordinator
124     Osman Yakut, Zaman Antalya
125     Ömer Çelik, DİHA news manager
126     Ömer Faruk Aydemir, İHA editor
127     Ömer Oruç, Cihan newspaper
128     Ömer Özdemir, Antalya eski Zaman muhabiri
129     Özcan Keser (TRT reporter)
130     Özkan Erdoğan, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi
131     Rabia Özkaya, Özgür Halk
132     Ramazan Alkan, Yeni Akit reporter
133     Resul Cengiz, Denizli reporter with Zaman
134     Sadık Demir – Radyo Karacadağ
135     Sait Gürka Tuzlu, Cihan reporter
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     Serkan Erdoğan, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi
142     Seyid Kılıç, TRT News
143     Seyithan Akyüz, Azadiya Welat Adana bureau chief
144     Sezgin Kartal, Sosyalist Dayanımşa magazine
145     Şahabettin Demir, DİHA reporter
146     Şahin Alpay, Zaman columnist
147     Şeref Yılmaz, Irmak TV
148     Şerife Oruç, DİHA reporter
149     Şirin Çoban, Azadiya Welat
150     Tahsin Kürklü, Zaman – head of Logistics Department
151     Togay Okay, Özgür Gelecek
152     Tunca Öğreten, former Diken editor
153     Tuncer Çetinkaya, Zaman Antalya
154     Ufuk Şanlı, former Vatan columnist
155     Ulaş Sezgin, ETHA reporter
156     Ünal Tanık, Rota Haber editor-in-chief
157     Vahit Yazgan, İzmir Zaman bureau chief
158     Vedat Beki, Sözcü 18
159     Vedat Demir, former Yarına Bakış writer
160     Yakup Çetin, Zaman reporter
161     Yakup Şimşek, Zaman, marketing director
162     Yalçın Güler, TRT (Erzurum)
163     Yasir Kaya, Fenerbahçe TV, formerly
164     Yener Dönmez, Habervaktim news website
165     Yetkin Yıldız, Aktif Haber website editor
166     Yılmaz Kahraman, Özgür Halk editor
167     Yusuf Karataş, Evrensel columnist
168     Zafer Özsoy
169     Zehra Doğan, Jinha
170     Ziya Ataman, DİHA reporter
 

Tags: Atilla Taş, Bünyamin Köseli, cihan acar, Mehmet Sıddık Damar, Meşale Tolu, Murat Aksoy