Deniz Yücel: I don’t Know Why I’ve Been Released

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Released from Silivri Prison where he was kept for a year, Deniz Yücel went to Germany. Gaining his freedom after 367 days, Yücel landed on Tegel Airport in Berlin on Friday (February 16).

Yücel’s message was shared on #FreeDeniz account created by Deniz Yücel’s friends. In the video, Yücel said that he is not feeling really happy with his release.

“Me being released has nothing to do with law”

“I don’t know why I was arrested, taken hostage a year ago and in a similar manner I don’t know why I was released today. I still couldn’t receive the indictment. I am indeed happy but it’s a bittersweet happiness. Neither my arrest, nor my release has nothing to do with law or rule of law”. Yücel stressed that there are still many journalists behind bars.

Preparing the indictment about Deniz Yücel, İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office demanded from 4 to 18 years in prison for Yücel on charges of “propagandizing for a terrorist organization” and “inciting people to enmity and hostility”. Accepting the indictment, İstanbul 32nd Heavy Penal Court ruled for the release of Yücel.

What happened?

Kept in detention in İstanbul Security Directorate for 13 days, Die Welt newspaper reporter to Turkey Deniz Yücel was brought to İstanbul Justice Palace in Çağlayan on February 27 by İstanbul Organized Crimes Department units.

According to the report by BirGün daily, Yücel was questioned about his interview with Cemil Bayık, one of the founders of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and council member of Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) in 2015, reports about President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Yüksekova and Cizre.

As the part of the same operation, Diken news site editor Tunca Öğreten, Dicle News Diyarbakır Bureau Chief editor Ömer Çelik and BirGün daily newspaper Executive Official Mahir Kanaat were arrested on January 18, 2017. Ömer Çelik was released on October 24, Kanaat and Öğreten were released on December 6, 2017.

Along with Öğreten, Çelik and Kanat, DİHA reporter Metin Yoksu, Yolculuk Newspaper Chief Editor Eray Sargın and ETHA Executive Official Derya Okatan who were detained on December 25, 2016, were released.

Covering house raids that were conducted on December 25, pro-government Sabah daily newspaper reported that Deniz Yücel’s name was included as part of the investigation.

President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said:

“This man [Deniz Yılmaz] is a terrorist, not journalists and unfortunately the German government lumps my ministers together with this terrorist. The problem lies here.

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel told me ‘We would be glad if you free him’. I told her he is not a journalist but terrorist. Deniz Yücel hid in the German Consulate General. This man is a terrorist not journalist”. 

Of the other arrestees Çelik was released in the first and Tunca was released in the second hearing. (PT/TK)