Cumhuriyet Newspaper Executive Board Chair Atalay Behind Bars for 500 Days
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Cumhuriyet Newspaper Executive Board Chair Akın Atalay has been behind bars for 500 days.
Journalists Outside has prepared a video to draw attention to 500 days of imprisonment of Atalay, who has been arrested as part of the investigation launched against Cumhuriyet.
A large number of people sharing the video with the #500Gün (#500Days) hashtag demanded freedom for Atalay.
#AkınAtalay #500Gün dür özgürlüğünden yoksun pic.twitter.com/kIFhxB7K3i
— Bülent Utku (@bulenutku) 14 Mart 2018
About Akın Atalay
Atalay graduated from Faculty of Law at İstanbul University. He has been practicing law since 1986.
He took place in NGOs such as Aydınlık İçin Yurttaş Girişimi, Barış Girişimi, and served as member at İstanbul Bar Association Commission of Investigating Susurluk Gang.
Serving as Turkish Penal Code Association Deputy President, Atalay has continued to serve as lawyer, executive board member and legal adviser at Cumhuriyet Newspaper since 1992. He is currently serving as Cumhuriyet Foundation Deputy President and Cumhuriyet Newspaper Executive Board Chair.
What happened?
Atalay’s home was raided during the operation launched against Cumhuriyet Newspaper workers on October 31, 2016, yet Atalay couldn’t be detained as he was in Germany.
Upon that, a detention warrant was issued for Atalay and Atalay in his message said that he would return to Turkey.
Atalay returned to Turkey on November 11, 2016 and was detained at the airport, arrested on November 13.
İstanbul 27th Heavy Penal Court chief judge Abdurrahman Orkun Dağ, who released Ahmet Şık and Murat Sabuncu on March 9, 2018, who were among those arrested in Cumhuriyet investigation, said “Captains desert last the sinking ship. You are with us Mr. Akın” and ruled continuation of arrest of Atalay. (EA/TK)
* The Journalists Outside: When Ahmet Şık was arrested in Oda TV trial in 2011, a journalists' initiative called "Friends of Ahmet and Nedim (ANGA)" has started to organize demonstrations. The initiative has been named "The Journalists Outside" after Şık and Şener were released a year later. They carry on with their protests and demonstrations for their colleagues in prison due to OdaTV, KCK (Kurdistan Communities Union) Press, and Cumhuriyet trials.