Radio Anchor Detained for Quoting Ocalan

Anchor Gundogdu of Adana local station Radyo Dunya was detained and will stand trial for quoting a statement from imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. She is charged with separatist broadcasts, and affiliation with illegal organization.

Yeter Cemile Gundogdu, an anchor for local station “Radyo Dunya” (Radio World) of south province of Adana, was detained by police officers from the Press Bureau on Tuesday around 9 a.m. and taken to the Adana State Security Court (DGM).

Gundogdu is being accused for “broadcasting against the indivisible integrity of the state,” and for “affiliation with illegal organization” since she quoted a May 3 statement by the imprisoned Kurdish PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan during her radio program. Ocalan had made the statement through his lawyers. After her testimony was taken, Gundogdu was released pending the trial.

Trial for Ocalan statement

Gundogdu had quoted a story published in the daily “Ulkede Ozgur Gundem” (Free Agenda in the Country) titled “A war could break out, and I cannot prevent it.” She concluded the program saying, “It is our soldier, police and guerilla who dies in the war. We should side with peace.”

Commenting for bianet, Gundogdu said the Press Bureau had only recoded the first half hour of the two-hour program. She said she told the prosecutors about the rest of the program.

Gundogdu, who has been working at the radio station since February 2004, will stand trial in the coming days. (EO/BB)


Adana - BÄ°A News Center

28 May 2004, Friday

Erol ONDEROGU