Trial of Bülent Şık Begins: 'I Fulfilled My Conscientious Responsibility'

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The first hearing of the case of food engineer and bianet columnist Assoc. Prof. Bülent Şık will be held today (February 7). Bülent Şık is being tried for announcing the findings of a cancer research study by the Ministry of Health. The Ministry did not make the results of the study public.

Prior to the hearing, a press statement has been made at the İstanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan.

Şık: Public health is at the center of the case

Before the press statement, Şık has talked to bianet:

"Public health is at the center of this case. And even more than that, protecting children's health is at the center. In the five provinces where this study is conducted, toxic chemicals found in food and water pose a threat to children. In these provinces, there are 1 million and 300 thousand children aged between 0 and 18. In the study, chemicals that damage hormonal health were found in food and water. These chemicals affect the children's health most.

"It is our duty to follow this case, to announce the results of the research, to check what are the public institutions doing.

"As an academic, I am happy that this issue has become public. I think I fulfilled my conscientious responsibility."

RSF: We need solidarity beyond the media

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey Representative Erol Önderoğlu said, "As long as journalists' news sources are not safe, as long as the masses, academics, workers who tell the journalists about social problems, we cannot mention freedom of the press.

"Today, Bülent Şık's trial clearly shows this. So, journalists' occupational solidarity is not enough. In order to make those who talk to the journalists for common good safe, solidarity beyond the media is needed.

"We are in solidarity with Bülent Şık, who is an honest and honorable academic."

"We came for solidarity"

Aslı Odman from the Children Should Not Get Poisoned Initiative has read the press statement.

"It has been three and a half years since the research was completed. Neither the results of the research were shared, nor there is a sign that any public institution has taken action regarding this problem of public health.

"Bülent Şık has published the findings first on his column at bianet, and then on Cumhuriyet newspaper in a series of articles in April 2018."

"The Ministry replied with a lawsuit"

"Many parliamentary questions have been submitted after that. People, using their right to information, applied to the Ministry of Health. This lawsuit is the answer of the Ministry.

"Who is being tried here is the state apparatus that became a corporation. State organs are violating the constitutional principles of the right to life and social state, not Bülent Şık.

CHP MP: How can this be a crime?

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu talked after the press statement and said, "How can be a scientific research study, results of which concern everyone's health, not shared with the public and how can sharing it with the public become a crime? We will fight to make this republic a people's republic again." (HA/VK)