Call from Journalism Organizations: Let's show them they're not alone

  • actual
  • 12:19 30 March 2021
  • |
img
VAN - Represantatives of journalistic organizations calling for solidarity with the journalist at the first hearing of the case against them said: "Let's protect our colleagues. It will be journalism we protect."
 
The first hearing of the law suit against Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reporters Cemil Uğur and Adnan Bilen, Jinnews reporters Şehriban Abi and journalist Nazan Sala will be held in Van 5th High Criminal Court on April 2. MA reporter Zeynep Durgut is also on trial without arrest. The five journalists were arrested on October 9, 2020 after breaking the stroy about Osman Şiban and Servet Turgut, two villagers thrown out of a military helicopter by soldiers in the Çatak district of Van. The five journalists are accused of 'being a member of a terrorist organization'. Nazan Sala is also accused of 'propagandizing a terrorist organization'.
 
In the 14 page indictment, the journalists are accused of 'publishing provocative content against the state' which underlines that the agency does not publish magazine news, sports etc. The journalistic materials confiscated from their homes are considered to be evidences of a crime.
 
Representatives of press organizations called for solidarity with the journalists on trial at the court hearing, which is also closely followed by the public.
 
MKGP: WE WILL NOT GIVE UP OUR GAINS
 
Mesopotamia Women Journalists Platform (MKGP) Spokesperson Ayşe Güney noted that those who act with the principles of journalism are tried to be intimidated by detentions and arrests. Pointing out that this policy, which has been tried for years, has not yielded any results, Güney said: "We are not afraid of paying the price for telling the truth. We will not give up sticking to the facts. In the person of our two women colleagues, Kurdish female journalists are on trial. They are targeting the gains of the women. Just like we are fighting for İstanbul Convention, we will not stop defending our gains in the field of the press."
 
Stating that they will be in Van following the hearing, Güney called for solidarity with the journalists on trial.
 
DFG: JOURNALISM IS ON TRIAL
 
Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) Co-chair Serdar Altan reminded that the journalists were arrested for breaking the news about two villagers thrown from a military helicopter by the soldiers and told that this is a disgrace. Altan said: "Journalism is not a crime. Making news is not a crime. Lookign at the indictment, we see that journalism is on trial. Journalism is being criminalized. Everyone should be in that court room on April 2 in solidarity with our colleagues and make sure people can do their job without fears of repercussion.
 
BASIN İŞ: JOURNALISTS DEFEND THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE
 
Ali Ergin Demirhan, a member of the Executive Board of Press Workers Union affiliated to the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions (DISK), stated that they learned what happened to Servet Turgut and Osman Şiban thanks to these reporters. Demirhan said: "This is what these journalists are accused of. Making us hear about an incident that is kept from us. So the real crime here is journalism. Journalism is being targeted. We say once more that journalism is not a crime and demand our colleagues to be released immediately."
 
CALL TO INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS 
 
Calling on to the international institutions to be in solidarity with the journalists on April 2, Demirhan said: "We need to be together and make each other do not feel alone. Otherwise we can not do our jobs."
 
'LET'S PROTECT OUR COLLEAGUES'
 
Turkey Journalists Union (TGS) Chair Gökhan Durmuş said: "It is ridiculous that they say 'they do not do magazine news and insist on writing about social incidents'. This is a joke. I hope they will be released at the hearing and Turkey's democracy and law gets rid of this disgrace."
 
MA / Müjdat Can
 

View More Articles

30/03/2021
15:56 53 arrests made in the al-Hol Camp Campaign
15:55 Our obligations will not disappear withdrawing from Istanbul Convention
13:57 Ignoring hunger strikes leads to social decay
13:16 Emine and Ferit Şenyaşar released from custody
12:54 Police raid on Çukurova TUHAD- FED: 11 detained
12:28 Attorneys submit new application to visit Öcalan
12:27 Emine and Ferit Şenyaşar taken into custody
12:20 Gergerlioğlu: We do not have surrendering in our tradition
12:19 Call from Journalism Organizations: Let's show them they're not alone
10:10 KNK Co-chair: 2,500 soldiers deployed on the Shengal-Rojava border
09:41 Hunger strike action in prisons enters day 124
29/03/2021
17:16 Gergerlioğlu: ‘People choose me, I choose to resist’
16:17 Boğaziçi University academicians apply to council of state
14:35 21 thousand 495 people fined for violating curfew rules
13:42 Attorneys submit new application to visit Öcalan
12:12 Man in prison for violence against his wife asks if he can be released after withdrawal from İstanbul Convention
12:12 Statement from Journalism organizations regarding reporters arrested in Van
10:55 Şenyaşar on 'Justice Watch': What brought us here is injustice
09:33 Hunger strike action in prisons enters day 123
27/03/2021
14:53 'Racism' erased from indictment of workers attacked in Sakarya
13:37 HDP's women spoke to PACE President about İstanbul Convention
13:36 Hunger strike action in prisons taken over by the 25th group
13:35 MP Öcalan: That phonecall was a provocation
09:33 Women fined for celebrating March 8 in party building
09:27 5 months pregnant child murdered
26/03/2021
16:03 Journalist Kaya detained following Boğaziçi Protests
14:50 Attorneys submit new application to visit Öcalan
14:49 DBP employee electrocuted, tortured under custody, threatened with nude photos
13:49 19 sentenced to prison for attending October 10 memorial
13:48 HDP preparing 'Road Map': Examples of DEP and SHP being examined
11:36 Öcalan: Government is is doing wrong, I want to see my lawyers
10:37 Hunger strike action in prisons enters day 120
25/03/2021
18:58 Mehmet Öcalan: Our phone call was sabotaged, our concerns increased
18:51 Ocalan makes ‘short’ phone call with his brother: lawyers
09:49 Hunger strike action in prisons enters day 119
24/03/2021
16:52 First examination of the law suit to ban HDP to be held on March 31
13:51 Yüksekdağ sends message from prison regarding İstanbul Convention
13:51 'The way to peace is through lifting the isolation'
11:53 New application submitted by Öcalan's attorneys, family and guardian
11:52 Police called 4 times for her to join the sit in in front of the HDP
11:24 Hunger strike action in prisons enters day 118
11:23 'We will not stop insisting on the İstanbul Convention'
23/03/2021
15:15 Peace Mothers in solidarity with Emine Şenyaşar
15:10 9 political parties: We stand together with HDP in struggle for justice
15:09 Gergerlioğlu appeals to the AYM
13:09 'Justice Watch' will continue at HDP Headquarters
13:08 New application submitted by Öcalan's attorneys, family and guardian
13:07 Don't let others die like my daughter, hunger strikers mother says
11:19 Turkey's withdrawal from İstanbul Convention brought before PACE
10:29 Citizen sentenced to prison without appearing in court for insulting Fahrettin Altun