Journalist Obut's Allegation: I was attacked by the Governor

Owner and editor-in-chief of the Batman GAP newspaper Mansur Obut filed a complaint against governor Ahmet Turhan. The journalist accused the governor of attacking him in his office after publishing a news article on 24 September entitled "No interest in Bayram". Bayram is the religious holiday in the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting.

The news item went as follows: "Especially regarding the official institutions, Ramadan Bayram has passed extremely cold and quietly. This year for the first time the celebrations happended only in the garden of the governorship and were not crowded at all. The lack of people at the celebration and people not joining the Bayram vistis are a result of governor Turhan's mismanagement and his not integrating the people".

Obut: I was insulted and attacked

Obut claimed that when the article was published he was called to the governor's office by the governorship press director Nizamettin Düz upon Turhan's instruction. The journalist was very thoroughly body searched and afterwards his bag containing Obut's camera, voice recorder and video camera was taken by the governor. Obut stated that he was insulted and assaulted by the governor in the governorship's special meeting room.

The following day Obut issued a press release, saying: "After insulting me very badly, Turhan pushed me against the wall and started to punch me with his fists on the pit of the stomach and on the chest. He said that he would not let me lead my life in Batman and that he would give instructions to all institutions to deny entry to me and my newspaper".

Obut argued that due to the governor's instruction the journalist was not able to enter the Law Court which resides in the same building as the governor's office. Only after talking to the prosecutor personally Obut was allowed to enter and able to file his complaint.

Governor's office: Groundless allegations because of SODES project

In the statement from the governor's office it was said that Obut's allegations did not reflect the truth. According to the statement, Obut as the president of the 'GAP Media in the Development of Social Society Press Support Association' applied for a "Women's Rights Awareness Project" called SODES. He allegedly showed this kind of behavior because the project had been found inadequate and thus was rejected by the State Planning Agency (DPT). The journalist replied to the governor's office's allegation by explaining that this project belongs to the previous governor's term in office.

Obut has worked as a journalist for 12 years and is in charge of the program of "Eko Denge Program" ('Eco Balance') on Denge TV. The journalist declared that he will apply to the Ministry of the Interior for the issue to be investigated so that Turhan does not get away with what he has done.  (EÖ/VK)