Journalist Metin Göktepe Remembered

Dozens of family members, beloved ones and colleagues headed to Kemer Cemetary in Istanbul yesterday to remember journalist Metin Göktepe on the 17th anniversary of his death due to police brutality. The ceremony was held albeit the heavy snowfall which halted the busy metropolis.

The ceremony began at 11am, which was attended by some notable politicians (Sabri Topçu, Oğuz Kaan Salıcı) and journalists (Nazım Alpman, Ahmet Şık).

While Göktepe's grave was decorated with carnation, attendees shouted slogans like "We insist, we are all Metin", "Evrensel newspaper writes, Metin is alive".

Acknowledging everyone who attended the ceremony despite heavy snowfall, Fadime Göktepe, Metin Göktepe's mother, said: "Metin is here but he's not dead. There are dozens of Metins here. I love you all as much as I live him."

Polat: Metin's case didn't go unpunished

Fatih Polat, editor-in-chief at Evrensel newspaper where Göktepe worked, said the struggle for Göktepe led to the government to recognize the brutal treatment on Göktepe during police detention. "The Göktepe case actually showed how police brutality could go punished. In that sense, it didn't create a sense of impunity. But we don't forget the politicians who backed up the perpetrators. Now we will struggle against them."

Mustafa Kuleli, journalist, said Metin Göktepe case was important to create a sense of solidarity among Turkey's journalists.

Nazım Alpman, another journalist who covered Göktepe case, said Göktepe lost his life to the pursuit of human rights. "If he wasn't too persistent about his cause, he wouldn't attend to the event where he was detained and killed. He didn't even have a press card, but he insisted to go there and do his job."

Zeynep Altıok from Sociatal Memory Platform urged the government to amend the constitution according to the universal standards on crimes against humanity. "Statute of limitations and top secret files should be excluded from crimes against humanity. Only that way real culprits can be found."

Sürek: Metin was killed just because he worked for Evrensel newspaper

Kamil Tekin Sürek, deputy chair of Labor Party where Göktepe was adhered, said Göktepe's detention had only to do with his affiliation to Evrensel newspaper. "He attended a commemoration ceremony in a sports hall in Istanbul and there were dozens of other journalists from other newspapers. According to official statistics, 736 were detained by 48 police officers. The detainees were in a position to resist that captivation. It is like how they captivate all the workers, Kurds, Alevis in Turkey."

Oğuz Kaan Salıcı from CHP said human rights abuse cases should be defended by everyone regardless of victim's political affiliation or background. "If we were able to find the murderers of Kemal Türkler, Uğur Mumcu and other human rights advocates, maybe Göktepe would not be a victim of police brutality. If Göktepe's murderers were found more immediately, Hrant Dink would be alive now."

The Metin Göktepe Murder

On January 8, 1996, Metin Göktepe was detained by the police while attending a commemoration ceremony of two inmates killed during a prison outrage. Göktepe was beaten to death under police detention.

In the beginning, charges against police officers were denied. The case was transferred to several courts in Turkey for "security reasons".

In 2000, an Afyon court found 5 police officers guilty for murder and hiding evidence of murder, sentencing them to 7 years and 6 months of prison. Another police officer was sentenced with 20 months of prison and 5 months of license suspension after an appeals court overturned the court's verdict.

In December 2000, the convicted police officers were freed on parole before completing their sentences. (EA/HK)