Journalists in State of Emergency -95

  
The Constitutional Court might issue its first ruling that will serve as an example ruling for national courts before the end of October, according to recent reports.
 
A news report published in the Cumhuriyet newspaper on October 4 suggested that the Constitutional court will issue a ruling that will set a precedent for all the imprisoned journalists before the end of this month.
 
Cumhuriyet’s report quoted unnamed sources from the court, who said that the ruling — which will be made on a single case — will set precedent laying out the constitutional principles in the imprisonment of journalists on trial.
 
 
ECtHR gives Turkey more time
 
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has given the Turkish government three more weeks to send a response to the court in the cases of Ahmet and Mehmet Altan, who have been imprisoned for over a year.
 
The Court first sought a statement from Turkey by October 4. The government had asked for extra six weeks, but the Court extended the deadline for a response only until October 25.
 
The government said it was still reviewing the case files, which were too many in number.
 
Cumhuriyet also reported the ECtHR had given additional time to the Turkish government to respond to the Court in the case of ten of the newspaper’s journalists who were detained on October 31, 2016.
 
The Court had previously given time until October 2 to the Turkish government to respond. Turkey has asked for six more weeks.

DİHA reporter released from prison
 
Mehmet Sıddık Damar, a reporter with the shuttered Dicle News Agency (DİHA) who was imprisoned over his social media posts, was released on October 6 at the end of his first court appearance. However, he was also given a two years and six moths prison sentence on charges of “terrorism propaganda”
 
Damar was arrested on August 18 for his tweets that were deemed to be spreading “propaganda on behalf of a terrorist organization.”
 
In his defense statement to the Mardin 2nd High Criminal Court, the reporter said all his activities were journalism related. Concluding the hearing, the court ruled for his release, yet still handed down a deferred sentence of two and a half years.
 
The complete list of journalists currently imprisoned in Turkey can be found here. Currently, at least 169 are in prison following Damar’s release.

MİT trucks trial adjourned until December
 
The first hearing in a new trial on reports where photographs featuring weapons-laden trucks allegedly owned by the National Intelligence Agency (MIT) enroute to Syria was heard on October 4.
 
The trial is based on two cases which were previously separate but recently merged. Journalists Can Dündar, Erdem Gül and Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Enis Berberoğlu stand accused of “aiding a terrorist organization.”
 
The case concerns photographs of trucks allegedly operated by MIT, which were printed in Cumhuriyet and Aydınlık newspapers.
 
The hearing took place at the İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court and it was held as a closed hearing, with spectators and press members not being allowed inside the courtroom.
 
CHP deputy Berberoğlu, who is imprisoned at Maltepe Prison, Cumhuriyet Ankara Bureau Chief Erdem Gül and Aydınlık newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief Mustafa İlker Yücel and the newspaper’s former investigations editor Orhan Ceyhun Bozkurt attended the hearing.
 
Lawyers representing Berberoğlu requested a change of judges. The panel of judges decided to send the case files to a higher court to make a decision on the request. The trial was adjourned until December 20.
 
 
Indictment into Sözcü
 
The Press Crimes Investigations Bureau of the İstanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office has completed an indictment into Burak Akbay, the owner of the Sözcü newspaper; Mediha Olgun, the internet editor of Sözcü; reporter Gökmen Ulu and the newspaper’s finance manager Yonca Yücekaleli.
 
Akbay is accused of “running an armed terrorist organization,” and “terror propaganda” while the others are accused of “knowingly and deliberately helping a terrorist organization without not being a part of the hierarchical structure within the armed terrorist organization.”
 
The 73-page indictment claims that the Sözcü newspaper seems to be against the Fethullah Gülen network — called the FETÖ/PDY terror organization officially — on the outside, yet its publications serve the same purpose held by this group.
 
Minister Albayrak seeks intervention in leaks case
 
Berat Albayrak, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, has sought to intervene in the trial  of six journalists — three of whom are imprisoned — who are on trial for reporting on Albayrak’s emails that were hacked last year by a group that calls itself RedHack.
 
The first hearing in the trial will be heard on October 24. Dicle News Agency (DİHA) news manager Ömer Çelik, former Diken editor Tunca Öğreten and BirGün newspaper employee Mahir Kanaat were imprisoned on charges of “membership in a terrorist organization” in the probe, where six journalists stand accused.
 
Albayrak petitioned the 29th High Criminal Court to intervene in the case. He also happens to be the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
 
Journalist beaten in prison
 
Dihaber reporter Erdoğan Alayumat, who was initially detained on “reasonable doubt” and later arrested in Gaziantep province, was beaten by prison guards at Tarsus Prison, reports claimed.
 
Tugay Bek, a lawyer representing Alayumat, said Alayumat and others in his ward were physically attacked, dragged on the floor and placed in solitary confinement without clothes for refusing to line up for a roll call.
 
Bek said his client had partial hearing loss in his left year following the physical abuse he endured, yet he and the other inmates in his condition were barred from visiting the prison infirmary.
 
 
List of journalists in prison
 
            Name, publication
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       Çağdaş Erdoğan, Photojournalist
41       Deniz Yücel, Die Welt
42       Emin Demir, Freelancer
43       Emre Soncan, Zaman defense reporter
44       Ercan Gün, Fox TV
45       Erdal Süsem, Eylül magazine editor
46       Erdal Şen, former Meydan managing editor
47       Erdoğan Alayamut, Dihaber reporter
48       Erol Yüksel (TRT News Department vice president))
49       Erol Zavar, Odak magazine, owner and newsroom director
50       Fahrettin Kılıç, Özgür Toplum
51       Faruk Akkan, Cihan news agency
52       Ferhat Çiftçi, Azadiya Welat Gaziantep bureau chief
53       Fevzi Yazıcı
54       Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Türksolu columnist
55       Gökmen Ulu, Sözcü
56       Gurbet Çakar, Hevi women’s magazine
57       Gültekin Avcı
58       Habip Güler, Zaman reporter
59       Hakan Aksel, TRT producer-director
60       Hakan Ergün, Azadiya Welat and Özgür Gündem distributor
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       Hatice Duman, Atılım newspaper’s owner and managing editor
68       Hayati Yıldız, Azadiya Welat
69       Hidayet Karaca, Samanyolu Media Group President
70       Hülya Karakaya, Özgür Halk Managing Editor
71       Hüseyin Aydın, Cihan reporter
72       Hüseyin Turan, Zaman columnist
73       İbrahim Balta, Zaman business editor
74       İbrahim Kareyeğen, responsible editor for Zaman
75       İdris Okur, Cihan New Agency Çorum reporter
76       İdris Sayılgan, DİHA
77       İlker İlkan, Azadiya Welat
78       İnan Kızılkaya, Özgür Gündem Newsroom Editor
79       İsmail Avcı, Zaman
80       İsmail Efe, local press advisor in İzmir
81       Kamuran Sunbat, DİHA Çukurova reporter (formerly)
82       Kemal Özer, Evrensel
83       Kemal Sancılı, Özgür Gündem copyrights holder
84       Kenan Karavil, Radyo Dünya editor-in-chief
85       Lokman Erdoğan, Çorum Manşet, owner
86       Mahir Kanaat, BirGün, head of accountingn
87       Mehmet Ali Ay
88       Mehmet Altan
89       Mehmet Baransu, Taraf columnist/reporter
90       Mehmet Çakmakçı, Medyascope.tv reporter
91       Mehmet Dener, Şanlıurfa.com editor-in-chief
92       Mehmet Güleş, DİHA
93       Mehmet Kuru, Zaman Eskişehir reporter
94       Mehmet Özdemir, Zaman columnist
95       Mehmet Sıddık Damar
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     Muhsin Pilgir, Zaman and Cihan news agency
103     Murat Aksoy,former Yeni Şafak columnist
104     Murat Avcıoğlu, Zaman
105     Murat Çapan,
106     Murat Çelikkan (Özgür Gündem solidarity trial)
107     Murat Dağdeviren (Demokrat Gebze owner)
108     Murat Sabuncu, Editor-in- Chief
109     Mustafa Erkan Acar, Bugün news editor,
110     Mustafa Gök, Ankara bureau chief for Ekmek ve Adalet magazine
111     Mustafa Ünal, Zaman
112     Mutlu Çölgeçen, Millet, newsroom coordinator
113     Mutlu Özay, Cihan reporter
114     Mümtazer Türköne, Zaman columnist
115     Nadir Yücel, Çorum Yıldız (local) Editor-in-Chief
116     Nedim Türfent,DİHA
117     Nizamettin İzgi (Batman Newspaper’s owner)
118     Nur Ener, Yeni Asya
119     Nuri Durna, TRT
120     Nuri Yeşil, Azadiya Welat Dersim bureau chief
121     Nurullah Kaya, G.antep Zaman representative
122     Oğuz Usluer, Habertürk former broadcasts coordinator
123     Osman Yakut, Zaman Antalya
124     Ömer Çelik, DİHA news manager
125     Ömer Faruk Aydemir, İHA editor
126     Ömer Oruç, Cihan newspaper
127     Ömer Özdemir, Antalya eski Zaman muhabiri
128     Ömer Sezgin, freelance photographer
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     Semiha Mete, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi reporter and distributor
140     Serhat Şeftali, Zaman regional bureau chief for the Med region
141     Serkan Aydemir, Bitlis Aktüel reporter
142     Serkan Erdoğan, Özgürlükçü Demokrasi
143     Seyid Kılıç, TRT News
144     Seyithan Akyüz, Azadiya Welat Adana bureau chief
145     Sezgin Kartal, Sosyalist Dayanımşa magazine
146     Şahabettin Demir, DİHA reporter
147     Şahin Alpay, Zaman columnist
148     Şeref Yılmaz, Irmak TV
149     Şerife Oruç, DİHA reporter
150     Şirin Çoban, Azadiya Welat
151     Tahsin Kürklü, Zaman – head of Logistics Department
152     Togay Okay, Özgür Gelecek
153     Tunca Öğreten, former Diken editor
154     Tuncer Çetinkaya, Zaman Antalya
155     Ufuk Şanlı, former Vatan columnist
156     Ulaş Sezgin, ETHA reporter
157     Ünal Tanık, Rota Haber editor-in-chief
158     Vahit Yazgan, İzmir Zaman bureau chief
159     Vedat Beki, Sözcü 18
160     Vedat Demir, former Yarına Bakış writer
161     Yakup Çetin, Zaman reporter
162     Yakup Şimşek, Zaman, marketing director
163     Yalçın Güler, TRT (Erzurum)
164     Yasir Kaya, Fenerbahçe TV, formerly
165     Yener Dönmez, Habervaktim news website
166     Yetkin Yıldız, Aktif Haber website editor
167     Yılmaz Kahraman, Özgür Halk editor
168     Zafer Özsoy
169     Zehra Doğan, Jinha
170     Ziya Ataman, DİHA reporter