The regional forum of the "5th Istanbul Meeting for Freedom of Expression", which was held at Istanbul Bilgi University 26-27 May, was dedicated to the discussion of regional issues.

Regional cooperation

NGO representatives from Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Iraq, Iran, Armenia and Georgia came together to introduce themselves and their work. Then lawyers from Turkey and these neighboring countries organized a workshop in which they shared their experiences and planned common projects.

"Witnesses"

In a special section of the forum, witnesses told of their experiences as they were affected by restrictions on freedom of speech.

Alper Görmüs, the editor-in-chief of the weekly magazine "Nokta", which has recently been forced to close for criticizing the army, recounted that he is to be tried for "insults" and "accusations". His trial is based on a complaint by retired Naval Officer Özden Örnek, who is asking for proof that there were plans for a military coup.

Sanar Yurdatapan, speaker for the Initiative against Crimes of Thought, told the forum about the official warnings that murdered journalist Hrant Dink received.

Mehmet Desde spoke about his imprisonment and torture for being part of a "terror organization" without violence, while journalist Abdurrahman Dilipak was penalized for a text he did not write.

A former public prosecutor, Sacit Kayasu, recounted how he was barred from his profession by the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors for preparing an indictment against the leader of the 1980 military coup, General Kenan Evren.

Nurettin Fırat from the pro-Kurdish leftist "Gündem" newspaper told the forum about repeated closures, while Devrim Tunay from the "Anatolia's Voice" radio station recounted that their broadcasting license has been revoked.

Necati Abay of the Imprisoned Journalists' Solidarity Platform said that as of 26 May 2007, 24 journalists and writers were in prison, and that changes in the Law for the Fight against Terrorism have made it easier to arrest people.

Dilek Kurban, an academic who co-authored a report on internal migration in Turkey for the Turkey Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV), spoke of the attacks by nationalists which the authors suffered during a press briefing. Publisher Ragip Zarakolu spoke of the problems facing publishers in Turkey, while Ibrahim Kaboglu spoke of his court case which followed the publication of the "Minority Report". (EÖ/EÜ/AG/EÜ)