9 Özgür Gündem Editors-in-Chief on Watch Summoned to Testify

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9 individuals, including Nadire Mater, Tuğrul Eryılmaz, Hasan Cemal who have participated in the “Editors in Chief on Watch” campaign launched in support of the Özgür Gündem daily, were summoned to give testimony.

The official justification for the investigation into the journalist and bianet Project Advisor Nadire Mater, journalists Tuğrul Eryılmaz, Hasan Cemal, Hasan Hüseyin Tahmaz and Dicle Anter, Özgür Radyo General Coordinator Derya Okatan, Editor-in-Chief of the closed website haberdar.com Said Sefaoğlu, writer Murat Uyurkulak, and HDP Executive Board Member Çilem Küçükkeleş was the reports published in the daily on the day of their editorships.

The abovementioned nine were summoned by the Public Chief Prosecutor’s Office to give testimony within 15 days.

“We appeared before the prosecutor to testify but they did not take our testimony”

Meriç Eyüboğlu, the attorney representing the journalists Eryılmaz and Mater, recalled that they had gone to the court on June 27 to testify but that the prosecution did not take their testimony. She added:

“The journalists [...] were being summoned to testify on the grounds that they participated as editors-in-chief voluntarily. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Erol Önderoğlu and Ahmet Nesin were even arrested on the same grounds in summer [2016].”

“In the following period, we as a group of five, including my clients Nadire Mater and Tuğrul Eryılmaz, went to testify as requested. As you will recall, all the preparations had been completed and while we were waiting in front of the door, the prosecutor said that in a last minute decision, the testimonies would be taken by the police department rather than the prosecution, so we left.”

“They pressed charges before even taking Yıldırım Türker's testimony”

“We will testify within the specified time as required. But interestingly enough, charges have been pressed against another friend, Yıldırım Türker, who was summoned on the very same day, without even taking his testimony.

“As the arrest orders for the executives of Özgür Gündem are continuously being issued, the lack of clarity in the legal procedure regarding the co-editors in chief persist. Charges are being pressed for some of those summoned to prosecution on the same day to testify, some others are being summoned again.

“Whilst some of those summoned to testify are having cases opened against them, others, who are also summoned to testify on the same day, are being sent home pending a further summons.

“It is actually obvious that the process is run politically rather than legally. That’s why every step taken raises another question in our minds.

“After all, it is journalism that is being carried out, not a crime. But we will see in the coming days what the prosecution is planning with this most recent action.

What happened?

Since the recommencement of armed conflicts in July 24 2015, which coincided with the interruption of the resolution process, Özgür Gündem has faced countless investigations, charges and censorships. Against the oppressive measures, the campaign “Editorship in Chief on Watch” was launched on May 3 in solidarity with the newspaper.  

TİHV President Fincancı, RSF Turkey Representative and bianet rapporteur Önderoğlu and journalist author Nesin were arrested on the charge of "terror propaganda" for joining Özgür Gündem's Editor-in-Chief on Watch campaign and later released pending trial.

İstanbul 8th Criminal Court of Peace shut down Özgür Gündem newspaper on August 16. The decision said that the newspaper would be “temporarily shut down” but did not mention how long it would remain closed.

Following the court’s decision, police raided the newspaper’s building. 22 people were taken into custody.

Police have also raided the apartment of Filiz Koçali and Eren Keskin, as well as Sinan Zarakolu, the son of publisher, columnist and journalist Ragıp Zarakolu, who was registered at the same address.

On August 19, Özgür Gündem Publishing Consultant Board member Aslı Erdoğan was arrested.

On August 22, Özgür Gündem’s Editor-in-Chief Zana Kaya and Chief Editor İnan Kızılkaya were arrested on the charge of “being a member of an [illegal] organization.

On August 31, Necmiye Alpay, Özgür Gündem’s Publishing Consultant Board member, linguist and writer, was also arrested on the charges of “being a member of an armed terrorist organization” and “subverting the unity and integrity of the state”. (ÇT/DG)