Journalist arrests in Turkey over report on transfer of arms to Syria
Can DÜNDAR, a prominent journalist and editör-in-chief of Cumhuriyet Daily was arrested on 26th November 2015 on charges of “being a terror organization member, espionage and revealing confidential documents”. These are charges that could send him to prison life long. The paper’s Ankara representative Erdem Gül was arrested on same charges as well.
Dündar who has displayed true opposition against the conduct of the government and Erdoğan recently is reported to have commented; “We have been arrested! Don’t worry, these are medals of honor for us”
The court complied with prosecutor’s request and arrested both journalists after which they were taken to SILIVRI prison.
Dündar and Gül’s supporters chanted: “Free press cannot be silenced” inside the courtroom after court announced its decision. Kemal KILICDAROGLU, leader of main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) said the decision marked a “black day” for democracy and freedoms.
CHP İstanbul deputy Mahmut Tanal said the arrests mark a “coup” staged against the press. “It is the massacre of the law to launch an investigation and now rule for the arrest of the two journalists with special orders,” Tanal said, referring to the government’s role in the prosecution of the journalists.
Opposition People’s Democratic Party (HDP) also condemned the arrests in a joint statement by its co-leaders, who said the ruling once again revealed that judicial mechanisms are under the influence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government.
Comments from the international arena on the incident;
The International Press Institute (IPI) said “journalism was arrested,” after the court’s decision. IPI’s Turkish National Committee said in a press statement on Thursday that it is the job of journalists to obtain and publish documents that would serve the public interest. “As journalists, we stand in solidarity with Dündar and Gül, who just performed journalism,” the statement said.
Stating that Turkey, which uses charges such as terrorism, membership in a criminal network and espionage while prosecuting journalists, witnessed yet another black day with respect to democracy and press freedom, the statement called on Turkish authorities to immediately carry out reforms that would secure press freedom in the country.
SOURCE: WEB
