Trials are political and our friends, co-workers are political hostages! Source: "Özgür Gündem Newspaper"

Transcription

1 Trials are political and our friends, co-workers are political hostages! Source: "Özgür Gündem Newspaper" On December 20th 2011, the endless operation against Kurdish media institutions was started. Early in the morning, the central office of Özgür Gündem Newspaper, all offices of Dicle News Agency, Fırat Distribution Agency and Gün Printing House were raided by hundreds of policemen. 44 journalists were taken into police custody. The journalists under surveillance for 4 days were dispatched to the prosecution office on the December 24th and 36 journalists were arrested. This operation carried out under the name of the Union of Communities in Kurdistan (KCK) Media Committee against Kurdish journalists was prepared soon after the local elections in The fact that the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) won the municipalities of 99 provinces in the local elections in 2009 impelled the government of AKP to start a new quest of shattering Kurdish politics Kurdish institutions. Subsequently, on April 14th 2009, an operation against all Kurdish institutions was decided to be started. On April 14th, the KCK operations were started. During the course of the ongoing KCK operations, 8 thousands of Kurdish politicians including many mayors, members of Provincial Councils and BDP have been arrested. In the first KCK operation carried out on April 14th, 2009 in Diyarbakır more than one hundred Kurdish politicians including mayors, members of Provincial Members and politicians were taken into custody and arrested. During the second course of KCK operations between October 5th 2011 and October 28th 2011, 193 people including Prof. Dr. Büşra Ersanlı from the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences at Marmara University and a member of BDP Constitutional Committee and Ragıp Zarakolu, a publisher and writer of Özgür Gündem Newspaper, 147 people were arrested. In the indictment of 2 thousands and 4 hundreds pages admitted by the 15th Heavy Penal Court, with 51 people, Ersanlı is to be condemned to a prison sentence of 23 years on charge of Organization Administration and Zarakolu is to be condemned to a prison sentence of 15 years on charge of Organization Membership. The third KCK operation was carried out on December 23rd, 2011 against the lawyers of Abdullah Öcalan in 16 provinces. Out of 88 people, 49 of whom were lawyers, 36 people were arrested on charge of membership to Leadership Council and 52 people were pressed a charge. In the scope of the indictment of 890 pages admitted by the 16th Special Heavy Penal Court in Istanbul, lawyers are to be condemned to a punishment of 15 to 22.5 years on charge of Organization Administration. On December 20th, 2011, the KCK operations were directed against Kurdish media and press. Kurdish journalists were the target of the operations. With the decision of the 9th Special Heavy Penal Court, all the offices of Özgür Gündem Newspaper and Dicle News Agency, the Journal of Demokratik Modernite and Etik Agency and Fırat Distribution Agency

2 were raided by policemen on December 20th, During the raids, all the materials in the offices raided were confiscated. They wanted to stop the publication of Özgür Gündem Newspaper. Under the name of KCK Media Committee, 49 Kurdish journalists including news directors, editors and news reporters were taken into custody. In the case opened against 44 journalist 36 of whom were arrested in the 15th Heavy Penal Court in Istanbul, prison sentences are demanded on charge of organization administration and organization membership. As it can be understood from the indictment of 800 pages prepared by the prosecution office, Kurdish journalists have been arrested only because of their journalistic activities and news. The first lawsuit of Kurdish journalists will be made between September 10th and 14th, 2012 in Silivri, İstanbul. The fact that the journalists under custody have been arrested only because of their professional journalistic activities in the course of KCK operations against Kurdish media and press can be clearly understood from the indictment of 800 pages prepared by the prosecution office. The prosecution office, which narrates the history of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and explains the foundational period, targets and contract of KCK, the legal organization of PKK, accuses the journalists of being an administrator and member of terrorist organization just because of their journalistic activities given below. Here are some examples of the claims on charge of which the prosecution office accuses the Kurdish journalist: Crime factors according to prosecutors: 1-The news which is about Wan earthquake are accounted for illegal organization propaganda. 2- News reporting which is about judiciary is accounted for terror crime 3- Sexual Disturbance report in Turkish Airlines is crime. 4- Reporting Rape and Sexual disturbance in Pozantı youth prison is illegal organizational activity according to prosecutors. 5- Observing and reporting press statements and social demonstrations is crime. 6-The phone calls between news director and reporters are crime. 7-The phone call between news director and writers is crime. 8- Having a yellow press cart is crime.sarı basın kartı sahibi olmak suç. 10- Getting Passports, going abroad.

3 11- Prosecutors created a new notion, Illegal Organizational News. 12- Making out an invoice for subscribers for a News Agency are considered as crimes in the bill of indictment. ZİYA ÇİCEKÇİ (Grant Holder and Editor in Chief of Özgür Gündem Newspaper) According to prosecutors Turkuvaz Newspaper Distribution (The distributor of Sabah, Zaman and Star Newspapers) is one of the money sources of illegal organization. Prosecution reaches this conclusion by investigating Grant Holder of Özgür Gündem Newspaper, Ziya Çiçekçi s bank accounts. Turkuvaz Distribution Company paid money in Ziya Çiçekçi s bank account for the cost of sold Newspapers. But in the bill of indictment, there is nothing about Turkuvaz Distribution Company. Also, prosecution thinks that Ziya Çiçekçi transferred money to the organization by taking money as sales prices from Fırat Distribution Company. However, prosecution knows that newspapers are distributed for a price in Turkey, and Turkuvaz Distribution Company distributes so many newspapers, these accusations bring various newspapers (Sabah, Zaman, Star) under suspicion. TURABİ KİŞİN (Former editor of Özgür Gündem Newspaper): Turabi Kişin made a phone call with executive editor of Özgür Gündem Newspaper, Hüseyin Aykol and argued about writers that were writing in the Newspaper. Prosecution thinks that Turabi KİŞİN consulted high level illegal organizators about writers in Ozgur Gündem Organization. Prosecutors saw many legal attempts (a phone call with executive director) as a clue for illegal actions. FATMA KOÇAK: Editor in Chief Fatma Koçak of Dicle News Agency (DİHA) attended a women conference in Venezuella in March 3, 2011 and prosecutors saw conference as an illegal evidence in the bill of indictment. Prosecutors charged Fatma Koçak with talking about a press statement, making a phone call with a reporter from Birgün Newspaper, making news about nationalist raid, making a interview with Zeynep Gambetti from Bosphorous University. All these professional, occupational works are crimes according to Prosecutors. Also, Fatma Koçak made news such Can be Democratic Autonmoy be solution for the Kurdish ıssue or Women conference failed. Prosecutors saw these news as an indicator of being a member of an illegal organization. Also carring Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) s report (prepared by Journalist Cengiz Çandar) was considered a cime by bill of indictment. RAMAZAN PEKGÖZ (Editor of Diclenews Agency)): He was a news director in the Günlük Newspaper. At

4 this time, as his occupation (news director)indicated, according to broadcasting policy of the Newspaper, he directed news and distribution of work. However, this professional, occupational works were considered a crime and considered being an illegal organization s executive by prosecutors. Ramazan Pekgöz made an interview with Murat Karayılan in July 8, 2009 for Günlük newspaper under the name of Qandil impressions. After that, a prosecutor opened a detailed investigation. But, later in Novamber 23, 2010 he was acquitted. But in the latest bill of indictment, this interview was considered a crime by specially authorized prosecutors. This is a judiciary scandal. ERTUŞ BOZKURT (was an editor in Diclenews Agency): Ertuş Bozkurt prepared many news such as, The holy place of Yezidi, Şexan was raided and three houses and car burned and a woman died. This news was considered as a relation with illegal organization. In the bill of indictment, making a phone call and taking informmatin about a press statement that organized by Peace Mothers and sending a reporter to the press statement were considered as crimes according to prosecutors. Also, making news about PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan s isolation was considered as a crime. KENAN KIRKAYA : (Ankara representative of Diclenews Agency). He began his career in the early of 2000s. Many journalists knows him as a curious in Kurdish issue. His notes, notebook, periodicals, camera, CDs, DVDs,books, all these things were considered being a terrorist by prosecutors. Making phone calls with former ministers and parliamentarians were considered as crimes. SADIK TOPALOĞLU: (Reporter of Diclenews Agency) Getting information (a press statement in Taksim Hill Otel) from his news source, and a phone calls were considered as crime. Some Phone calls, I am going to Agency Center in order to deinterlace, I can not go out because I am writing a news. Ömer, do you know a news about Heybelada event? I am in the agency, and where are you? These phone calls and talks were in the bill of indictment and counted as evidences according to Chief Prosecutors of the republic Bilal Bayraktar.

5 PERVİN YERLİKAYA: Accountant in Diclenews Agency. In the bill of indictement, the police monitored all phone calls of telephones, mobile phones and answering machine. In Yerlikaya s case, checking payments of subscribers, making phone calls with subscribers, taking money from DİHA s subscribers, invoicing all these things were considered as crimes. Making phone calls with subscriber municipalities are considered as crimes in the bill of indictement. NİLGÜN YILDIZ: Reporter of Dicle News Agency (DİHA), making a news about death of a 3-three year old baby by a gas bomb was seen as a trace of being a member of an illegal organization. She made many news about state pressure on minority groups in Turkey, however prosecutors considered all this things as being a member of an illegal organization. NEVİN ERDEMİR: Editor in Özgür Gündem newspaper. Making an interview with Peace and Democracy Party Chair Selahattion Demirtaş was seen as a trace of being guilty. YÜKSEL GENÇ: Yüksel Genç came to Turkey with first Peace Group because of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan s peace call in And she arrested in Turkey, stayed in Prison in many years. Genç was discharged. After that she begin to work in Özgür Gündem newspaper. She worked as an editorship, editor and writer in the newspaper. She was a writer in the Özgür Gündem newspaper when she was arrested. The accusations for Yüksel Genç is joining illegal organizational relations to Azadiya Welat newspaper. ZEYNEP KURAY : Making news and investigating about 8 guerillas death that resulted from chemical weapon (in Bingol), Kuray s phone calls about Firat News Agency (ANF) going to courthouse to observe a trial, meeting Wan Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Parlimentary Özdal Üçer, making news about a sexual disturbance in Turkish Airlines were all considered as crimes according to prosecutor. ÖMER ÇELİK: Reporter of Diclenews Agency, claims about Ömer Çelik is about news that he made. Protest news, press statement news,making news about Wan earthquake were considered as illegal crimes. Human rights mews that he made was considered as illegal organization propaganda ÇAĞDAŞ KAPLAN: Editor of Diclenews Agency (DİHA), Çağdaş Kaplan s news were considered being a member of an illegal organization. Prosecutor said "He did not give news, he propagandate an illegal organization. Prosecutor thinks DİHA is an organ of Union of Kurdistan Communities (KCK) s Press Comittee. Making news in DİHA, as we seen in the Çağdaş s case, is one of the important elements to

6 commit a crime according to prosecutors. Also, there is a claim that Çağdaş Kaplan have been in Kandil district of Konya city. In the bill of indictment, there is such a claim, Çağdaş Kaplan has a photograph in the signboard of Kandil district of Konya. And in there he made a victory sign, this photograph reflects Kaplan s view about İllegal organization. There is a similarity with Kandil district of Konya and Kandil mountains. Then, from this photograph prosecutors thought that Çağdaş Kaplan is guilty. But we know that he only made his professional job. After some investigations,it revaled that the photograph was not real, there was not any event such that. Çğdaş Kaplan said that I have never gone to the Kandil district of Konya. İSMAİL YILDIZ: Prosecutor thinks those people who arrested in the operations are not reporters or journalists, they are actually illegal organizational reporting according to prosecutor. In the bill od indictment prosecutor wrote İsmail Yıldız is not a normal journalist, he is a illegal organizational reporter. Reporter İsmail Yıldız was considered as guilty because of making unflattering news about government. DAVUT UÇAR : According to prosecutor Davut Uçar commited an illegal act such as In 26 April 2002, Davut Uçar with his other two friends, was caught in Bahcelievler district of Istanbul with many illegal publishing (therse publishing is also legal-democratic publishings) and in the same day he was released by the court pending a trial. (from bill of indictment) In the bill of indictment, making phone calls with İstanbul Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Parlimentarian Sabahat Tuncel was considered a crime by prosecutor. ÖZLEM AĞUŞ: After arrests of Journalists in December 20, 2011, Özlem Ağuş started to do her former occupation and begin to work in Diclenews Agency as a reporter for solidarity. She revealed rapes in the Pozantı Juvenile Detention. After this news, she arrested under the name of KCK Operations. She sent a letter in which she said that the revealing rape in Pozantı Juvenile Centre is an element of her arrest. She said "The big guilty is AKP government. As seen above, in the excerpts from the bill of indictment, journalists arrest are the political decisions. All the claims about being a member of an illegal organization are resulting from normal occupational works. Özgür Gündem Newspaper, Diclenews Agency, Azadiya Welat Newspaper, Fırat Distribution Company are the legal foundations. They are the foundations that see the Kurdish Problem as a primary issue in Turkey. How can making critical news about a government be crime? Is that democratic? There is no legal basis of these arrests, in the KCK operations, government tries to mask the real issues. Government leaves unsettled the Kurdish issue by these operations.

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