University students from Yüksekova in Hakkari province in eastern Turkey started collecting signatures to show their support for Erkan Çapraz of the Yüksekova Haber newspaper, who have been up against too many law suits and investigations lately.

Stating that the freedom of expression and press are the two most important conditions of democracy, the students demand better work conditions for the journalists with their slogan, “Don’t Touch Yüksekova Haber”.

“In the freedom of press, take universal values as your guiding principles”

To support the cause, the participants need to send a message saying that “I support the text for the freedom of expression of Yüksekova Haber and sign it”, adding the text, the name and the last name, to the yuksekovahaberedestek@gmail.com address. 

The campaign text says, “We are uncomfortable with this! We want that the pressure on Yüksekova Haber, which has been making great contributions to the pluralist journalism both in our country and our region, is stopped and the conditions for the development of free press is established.”

“We want a country where democracy really exists”

The students say that they criticize the pressure on Yüksekova Haber by referring to the laws that are in effect both in the United States of America (ABD) and the European Union. They declare that “as university students from Yüksekova, who want a country where democracy really exists, we condemn the pressure on Yüksekova Haber and its employees.”

Under investigation for violating article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code with his recent article titled “Kurds, Newroz Fire”, Erkan Çapraz is also on trial for the crime of “making propaganda for a terrorist organization” for his news article about the Şemdinli press release regarding the Diyarbakır blast. His hearing will be on June 18 at Şemdinli, which is in Hakkari province in eastern Turkey. (EÖ/GG/TB)