Relatives of Murdered Journalists Speak on Impunity

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Organized by Media and Law Studies Association, the panel called “Unsolved: Struggle Against Impunity in Killings of Journalists” was realized in Swedish Consulate General in İstanbul last night (September 5).

Matthew Caruana Galizia, the son of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia who was killed with a bomb planted in his vehicle in October 2017; Özge Mumcu, the daughter of journalist Uğur Mumcu who was also killed with a bomb planted in his vehicle; Dicle Anter, the son of author Musa Anter, and Meryem Göktepe, the elder sister of Metin Göktepe was murdered in custody discussed what can be done to struggle against impunity in unsolved murders.

The panel started with speeches delivered by Media and Law Studies Association Director Barış Altıntaş and Swedish Ambassador Theresa Hyden.

The panel was moderated by International Press Institute Turkey Advocacy Coordinator Caroline Stockford.

Matthew Caruana Galizia: State killed her

“My mother was the only journalist who was investigating corrupt police, MPs, ministers and companies in the country. They threatened her many times to stop her, isolated her in her occupational life, froze her bank accounts. None of the efforts could stop her, and then they murdered her”.

Özge Mumcu: What matters is that the ideas continue to live

“After my father was killed, some state authorities said things like ‘Your father stirred up a hornet’s nest’, ‘He hadn’t asked for protection from us’. People who said those things that day do not exist today but my father’s name has passed to society. After the trial process was over, I realized that what matters is that the ideas continue to live”.

Meryem Göztepe: We were subjected to smear campaign

“First, they launched a smear campaign claiming that ‘Metin Göktepe is not a journalist’. After that, then-Minister of Interior Mehmet Ağar accused him of ‘being a terrorist’.

“Even though the police who was responsible for his death served 1 year and eight months in prison before he benefited amnesty, the biggest factor in revealing those who were responsible during this process were his determined efforts of his relatives and then-journalists”.

Dicle Anter: We don't oppose parties but the system

“Unsolved murders have been committed since 1909. We don’t face off parties like AKP or CHP but a system. We oppose this system. If unsolved murders are committed in a country, then it means there is a problem of law in that country. There can’t be a democracy in a place where there is a problem of law”.

(EÜ/AS/TK)