Turkish Journalists Association: "A Dark Year for Press Freedom"

The Turkish Journalists Association (TGC) issued an announcement related to eleven people, most of them journalists, who were taken into custody on Thursday (3 March) in the scope of the Ergenekon investigation. Among the press members in custody are journalists and writers Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener.

"Crime of thought on the rise again"

The TGC stated that the year 2011 would be a dark one for press freedom compared to 2010.

"60 journalists are currently detained in prison; more than 2,000 journalists are being prosecuted. Investigations have been launched against 4,000 journalists. Death threats against journalists and trials carrying hundreds of years of imprisonment and are continuing".

In their announcement, the TGC emphasized that arrests and trials against journalists related to crimes of thoughts were on the rise. Laws and death threats made it almost impossible to work in this profession, the association claimed.

"The government seems to remain a passive spectator of the threats against press freedom and journalists by giving the impression that they are not disturbed by the situation that the source of the threats is not being removed. Crimes of thought are on the rise again in this country with journalists being taken into custody, arrested and tried".

"Investigative journalism is being obstructed"

The biggest concern, according to the announcement, is the restriction of investigative journalism that is opposing the recommendations of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers that were also signed by Turkey.

"The right to obtain correct and unbiased information and the protection of press freedom are essential for everybody in this country. This reminds to the fact that tolerating democracy is an art. We want people to say no to the oppression against the right of journalists and the people to learn the truth".

"Fair trial impossible with this investigation"

Lawyer Selçuk Kozağaçlı, President of the Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD), criticized, "A fair trial is endangered when the investigation is being constantly extended".

"Several people and incidents that are actually not related to each other are being combined. That way, a trial cannot be handled fair and reasonably. It is wrong to extend the investigation that much. An investigation that is broadened constantly will not yield any results".

"Searches of homes to be done under extraordinary circumstances"

"Raids on people's homes are done under extraordinary circumstances. Apart from that, a person can be summoned by the prosecution. But in this investigation they act as if there was no alternative", Kozağaçlı argued.

He claimed that the custody of Şık had nothing to do with the journalist's work until the present. Şık's writings were critic of the government for years. "Ahmet Şık wrote a book on this investigation. It shows that this brought him to a point where he is under threat of arrest".

Flautre: 'Involvement of Şık and Şener in coup plans very unlikely'

Helene Flautre, Head of the European Union-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Commission, expressed her deep concern about the custodies of the journalists in the scope of the Ergenekon investigation.

Flautre declared that the operation also targeted journalists such as Nedim Şener and Ahmet Şık who are internationally recognized for their competent work. "The professional orientation and research carried out by the journalists do not give the impression that they are affiliated with nationalists and supporters of a coup like the Ergenekon organization, I think".

"In terms of confidence in the Turkish judiciary and the future of democracy it is crucial not to allow any reasons for criticism regarding the procedure of the Ergenekon trial. Hence, I call the Turkish authorities to be extremely careful about international human rights standards while carrying out the investigation". (NV/EÜ/EÖ/VK)