Journalist Murat Çelikkan Behind Bars in Kırklareli Prison

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Journalist Murat Çelikkan, one of the Editors-in-Chief on Watch from the now-closed Özgür Gündem daily, was sent to Kırklareli Prison on charges of "propagandizing for a terrorist organization".

Çelikkan entered the prison accompanied by his friends and supporters in the afternoon hours yesterday (August 14). He will have to serve 13 months in prison if he is not released on probation. If he is released on probation, he will be behind bars for only 45 days according to the Law on Execution of Sentences.

The Truth Justice Memory Center, commenting on Murat Çelikkan's situation, said;

"As the Memory Center, we object to this process targeting Özgür Gündem and its supporters. We are concerned about the possibility that this discriminatory decision against Murat Çelikkan could be connected to the targeting of media sector workers, rights advocates, and academics in Turkey".

What happened?

Murat Çelikkan served as the Editor-in-Chief for the May 28, 2016 issue of Özgür Gündem as a part of his support for the Özgür Gündem's Editors-in-Chief on Watch campaign.

The trial took place at the İstanbul 13th Heavy Penal Court on May 16, 2017 and Çelikkan was found guilty of "terror propaganda".
Çelikkan's attorneys lodged an appeal against the prison sentence with the İstanbul Local Court of Justice on June 6, 2017 and the appeal was rejected on June 20.

According to Article 272 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, this final decision cannot be challenged and the domestic remedies are exhausted.

38 of the 56 editors who participated in the Editors-in-Chief on Watch campaign have been prosecuted. The prison sentences of 18 editors were suspended for two years while only Murat Çelikkan's sentence was not, on the grounds that "his actions in the courtroom did not show sufficient remorse".

About Murat Çelikkan

He has worked as a reporter, editor, columnist and editor-in-chief during his 25-year career in journalism.

He has actively taken part in the human rights movement. He founded the Human Rights Association, Amnesty International Turkey, Helsinki Citizens' Association and he served on the board of directors for the Human Rights Association. He worked on projects concerning the Kurdish question and media ethics.

He is the director at the Truth Justice Memory Center of which he is among the founders. (EA/DG)