Journalist sentenced to a year in prison for writing quotes
Journalist sentenced to a year in prison for writing quotes
On the days Dunja Mijatovic, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, is in Turkey to participate in the panel discussion "Turkey and Freedom of Expression" yet another journalist was handed down a prison sentence for what she wrote.
Ýlkem Ezgi Aþam, from the daily Birgün was sentenced to a year in prison by an Istanbul court for publishing a four sentence quote regarding mass graves in the southeastern province of Bitlis, though the sentence is yet to be ratified by a higher court.
Receiving others’ opinions to write a news piece is a journalist’s most democratic right, said Ýlkem Ezgi Aþam, while pleading in court. The court’s verdict first has to be ratified by the Supreme Court of Appeals, however. If convicted, Aþam will become the 67th journalist behind bars in Turkey.
The article entitled “Religious Community General in the Mutki excavations,” included a quotation from Hasan Ceylan, the Bitlis representative of the Human Rights Association (IHD), which drew a connection between Korkmaz Taðma, a senior army commander and the killings in the southeastern region.
Meanwhile, Menderes Öner, the license holder of the Kurdish language daily Azadiya Welat, was taken into custody by law enforcement officials on Thursday.
Dunja Mijatovic was on OCSE first official visit to Turkey related to press freedom.
According to Mijatovic, many journalists are being imprisoned without reason in Turkey. She pointed to a data base regarding detained journalists published by the OSCE in March, "It includes information on journalists and other persons in prison. I discuss this situation with the governments of the member states. I hope we will reach a solution. This is an important problem for the Turkish society".
Ýlkem Ezgi Aþam, from the daily Birgün was sentenced to a year in prison by an Istanbul court for publishing a four sentence quote regarding mass graves in the southeastern province of Bitlis, though the sentence is yet to be ratified by a higher court.
Receiving others’ opinions to write a news piece is a journalist’s most democratic right, said Ýlkem Ezgi Aþam, while pleading in court. The court’s verdict first has to be ratified by the Supreme Court of Appeals, however. If convicted, Aþam will become the 67th journalist behind bars in Turkey.
The article entitled “Religious Community General in the Mutki excavations,” included a quotation from Hasan Ceylan, the Bitlis representative of the Human Rights Association (IHD), which drew a connection between Korkmaz Taðma, a senior army commander and the killings in the southeastern region.
Meanwhile, Menderes Öner, the license holder of the Kurdish language daily Azadiya Welat, was taken into custody by law enforcement officials on Thursday.
Dunja Mijatovic was on OCSE first official visit to Turkey related to press freedom.
According to Mijatovic, many journalists are being imprisoned without reason in Turkey. She pointed to a data base regarding detained journalists published by the OSCE in March, "It includes information on journalists and other persons in prison. I discuss this situation with the governments of the member states. I hope we will reach a solution. This is an important problem for the Turkish society".
