COMMEMORATION OF METİN GÖKTEPE
‘For Us, Being Here Means Meeting With Metin’
Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish
Metin Göktepe, a daily Evrensel reporter who was killed on the job by police officers 23 years ago, has been commemorated at his grave.
Along with Göktepe's mother Fadime Göktepe, MPs and representatives of occupational organizations have attended the commemoration which has been held at the Kemer Cemetery in Esenler district of İstanbul.
After carnations were put on Göktepe's grave, Evrensel's Editor-in-Chief Fatih Polat has made the first speech.
He has said, "The case of Metin is the first case, where those responsible for the murder of a journalist under custody were tried and sentenced. It is also a case won in terms of press freedom and the people's freedom to receive news. In the person of Metin, by clinging on Metin, we are protecting the people's freedom to receive news and the struggle for press freedom."
Göktepe's sister: Today, they want to kill the truth
After Polat, Metin Göktepe's sister Meryem Göktepe has spoken. Remarking that journalism is under pressure just as it was at time Göktepe was killed, she said,
"For us, being here means meeting with Metin for the last 23 years. The point where the country and journalism have come since then sheds light on where democracy has come today.
"Metin, as a young journalist who was chasing the truth, was taken into custody on the job, maybe made his own story by screaming his name. In those days, journalists were being killed. Today, the truth is wanted to be killed. Journalism of journalists is being killed."
Durmuş: Not much changed for journalists in 23 years
Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) Chair Gökhan Durmuş has said the following in the speech that he made:
"It has been 23 years since Metin was taken from us. Not much has changed in 23 years. 23 years ago, journalists were being killed. Journalists are killed and imprisoned today as well.
"One more thing that has not changed in the 23 years: the Metins, who persistently work to deliver the truth to the people did not go away."
Eren: Their fear is our hope
Faruk Eren, Chair of the Press, Broadcast and Print Workers Union of Turkey (Basın-İş) has also spoken at the commemoration:
"Dear Metin, after 23 years, we came to you not with so pleasant news. Heavy pressure on those who tell the truth. Even as of this moment, our colleagues are deposing and being tried.
"We are more hopeful this year, Metin. Because they fear those who are telling the truth, from journalists, academics, lawyers, students, workers, people. Their fear is our hope. We promise you one more time: Whatever the price will be, we will continue to tell the truth."
About Metin GöktepeOn January 8, 1996, Metin Göktepe went to Alibeyköy district, to follow the funerals of four inmates who were killed by soldiers in Ümraniye Prison. He was not let in by the police on the ground that he did not have a press card. He was taken into custody with other hundreds of people and was brought to Eyüp Indoor Sports Hall. While he was being taken into custody, he screamed "I am Metin Göktepe, I am a journalist!" He was beaten to death by police officers while he was in custody. 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 to 20 months in prison and 5 months of license suspension after a court of appeals overturned the court's verdict. After the Conditional Release and Postponement of Sentence Law came into power on December 19, 2000, the convicted police officers were released before completing their sentences. |
(EMK/VK)