Journalist Balbay not Released – Internet Publishes "His Notes"

The investigation into Ergenekon, a clandestine ultra-nationalist organisation charged with overthrowing the government, led to the arrest of journalist Mustafa Balbay on 5 March.

Release request rejected

The Istanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court has now rejected the request of the journalist’s lawyer, Bülent Utku, to release him.

Balbay, the Ankara representative of the Cumhuriyet newspaper, was taken to the prosecutor of the Ergenekon trial after the police took him into custody in the morning of 5 March; he was later arrested by court decision.

Balbay had been previously taken into custody, in the sixth wave of detentions on 1 July 2008, but then he had been released again. After his release, he spoke of feeling “injured by terrorism.”

Alleged diary published

Following the arrest of Balbay, an Internet website called Tempo 24 has published what it claims are his notes, which are also said to be part of the indictment of the Ergenekon trial.

The news item begins, “Here is Balbay’s controversial diary”. It is claimed that retired Gendarmerie General Commander Şener Eruygur (now himself a defendant in the Ergenekon trial) arranged a meeting with a group of journalists on 10 February 2004, in which he expressed his dissatisfaction with the government’s activities.

It is further claimed that Eruygur told the journalists: “I think…there are a lot of associations, journalists and people who care about what happens in this country…they all have to be brought together…for example, if you lead, then first we’ll have 3, then 10 then 20 people…associations can be led…society has to be swept into caring.”

Dissatisfaction with Chief of Staff

One journalist is said to then have told Eruygur, referring to the then Chief of Staff Hilmi Özkök: “Sir, we understand you very well, but let’s face it: with your number one it is very difficult to carry out your plans.” The journalist then suggested that Özkök be told “We can’t do it with you.” Eruygur is said to have repleid that the other commanders and other armed forces ranks were on his side, saying, “On the other hand, the 1 percent must comply with the 99 percent.”

One journalist then allegedly expressed his discomfort with Özkök, saying: “A Chief of Staff does not have to say out loud what he thinks, it is enough if he frowns. We are not saying carry out a military coup, but such an attitude, Sir, does not exist any more…but then everything remains unclear…”

Cumhuriyet journalist Ali Sirmen spoke to NTV, saying: “The confidentiality of a secret investigation in a state of law is to be obeyed, but this does not happen in Turkey. Leaking diaries and publishing them is an offense punishable with imprisonment.” (EÖ/AG)