Journalist Güler Released after 3 Years Behind Bars

The owner and chief editor of the Revolutionary Democracy newspaper, Erdal Güler, was released from prison after almost three years in jail. His release had previously been scheduled for the year 2014. Güler was charged with praising illegal organizations such as the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the Maoist Communist Party (MKP).

Güler was convicted at the Istanbul 10^th High Criminal Court in 2007 under article 7/2 of the Anti-Terror Law (TMY) on "spreading propaganda for an illegal organization". The journalist received a monetary fine of TL 20,000 (€ 10,000). Reason for Güler's recent release is the fact that the notification was sent to the wrong address.

Another four journalist behind bars because of their news

According to the BIA Media Monitoring Report, Güler is one of a total of five journalists who are in jail on the grounds of the news they published.

The former editorial managers of the Kurdish Azadiya Welat newspaper, Vedat Kurşun and Ozan Kılınç, the owner of Aram Publishing and Hawar newspaper official Bedri Adanır and the editor-in-chief of the Denge Heviya Jine women's magazine, Gurbet Çakar, are still behind bars.

31-year prison sentence and heavy monetary fine

On 20 October, the same court decided to accept the motion submitted by Güler's lawyer Meral Hambayat for a stay of execution. Thereupon, the journalist was released from the Kandıra No.1 F Type Prison (province of Kocaeli, east of Istanbul) on Tuesday night (27 October). From there, Güler travelled to Izmir where his family lives.

The Kocaeli Chief Prosecution had previously announced the prospective date of Güler's release for 6 September 2014.

The document presented by the Istanbul Chief Prosecution on 21 October puts forward that Güler has to serve 31 years in prison and pay a monetary fine of TL 58,556 (€29,500).

Release after three years

Güler was arrested on 26 December 2007 and sent to the Amasya Prison from where was transferred to the Kandıra Prison later on.

Güler is charged with "spreading propaganda for an illegal organization" in dozens of cases. He stands furthermore accused of "praising crime and a criminal" related to a message entitled "We commemorate Mahir Çayan and his comrades with respect", published in the April 2005 issue of the "Özgür Düsün" magazine, of which he is the editor.

Güler was also charged in relation to another article, which commemorated communist leader Ibrahim Kaypakkaya, who was killed in 1973. The article was published in the 1-16 May 2006 issue of the "Revolutionary Democracy" magazine. (EÖ/VK)