Impunity in Turkey: Publication Bans, Interest of the State, Prescription

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On Nov. 2, International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, the whereabouts of the deceased body of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi is yet uncertain, a month after his murder on Oct. 2 in the Istanbul Consulate of The Saudi Kingdom.

CLICK: "Khashoggi Strangled and His Body Annihilated in the Saudi Istanbul Consulate"

Between 1990-2007 20 journalists were killed in Turkey as covered by the bianet article series "MURDERED JOURNALISTS AND IMPUNITY: 20 Journalists 20 Stories". All 20 journalists were killed with impunity.

Initiative Against Crimes of Thought, a domestic affiliate of the international rights NGO IFEX on this international day releases a written statement shedding light on how criminals are treated with impunity in Turkey.

"Impunity legitimized"

• Violations are ignored by the government, parliament and the justice with the instinct of defending the state; the courts neglect their duties. Crimes are legitimized with such pretexts of defending the supreme interests of the state, combating terrrorism, and for security and protection of public order.
  
  
• The authorities deny permission for prosecuting public servants. Laws are legislated to provide green light for impunity vis-a-vis those countries with independent and impartial justice where prosecutors investigate crimes without seeking any permission from any other authority.

"Paramilitaries protected"

• Suspected security officials are not brought before justice in spite of the fact that their identities and adresses are available.
  
  
• Paramiltary groups are officially or unofficially promoted.
  
  
• Corruption is covered, fake reports are endorsed or, even worse, fabricated.

"Evidence concealed"

• Publication bans are imposed on coverages of investigation and prosecution of cases of violation in order to conceal evidence so that suspects acquitted or the files closed on non-prosecution.
  
  
• Cases which are brought before justice with great efforts are not proceeded for years to be finally annulled for prescription.
  
  
• And in cases which could be finally made heard, particularly for the cases of violence against women, mitigations are extremely exploited under such pretexts as "insulted manhood, and honor" and penal reductions for good conduct are generously awarded just for the suspects' appearance before the court in a suite and a tie.

Domestic IFEX affiliates in panel discussion

Three domestic affiliates of IFEX today joined a panel discussion for remembering the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, and discussed the possible means to fight against "the culture of impunity". The panel was broadcasted live.

Nadire Mater (bianet.org), Şanar Yurdatapan (Initiative Against Crimes of Thought) and Özgün Özçer (P24) sat around the discussion table. And Andrew Gardner, Amnesty International reporter for Turkey, Cihan Aydın, Diyarbakır Bar Association Chair and Eren Keskin founder of the Legal Support Office Against Sexual Harassment and Rape joined the debate via video mesaages. (TP/EK)