Threatened Lawyer Charged with Defamation

Defamation charges have been brought against lawyer Aygun, for saying The Gendarme Commander threatened me in the presence of Tunceli deputies; Gundem representatives were also charged for publishing the remarks.

Tunceli

Huseyin Aygun, former president of the Bar Association of southeast province of Tunceli is charged with "defamation" for his complaints about local gendarme command.

Journalists Irfan Ucar and Hasan Bayar are also charged for publishing Aygun's remarks in their newspaper.

The case was initiated following a complaint by the City Gendarme Captain Namik Dursun and will begin on May 13 at the Criminal Court of First Instance.

Aygun, in an interview with Bianet says that he has been charged charges were brought against him even though the statement he gave to the newspaper was published on February 26th.

Complaining About Threats Results in Charges

Aygun, lawyer and the publisher of the newspaper Munzur Haber, had announced at a February 13 press conference at the Elazig Branch of the Human Rights Association that Gendarme Captain Dursun was threatening his life.

Aygun dates the recent attack began to February 3rd when the regiment commander made slanderous allegations towards himself and his profession.

Aygun says that he requested an appointment with the commander which took place on February 7th and the threat was repeated in person.

Lawyer Aygun, Executive Editor of the Ozgur Gundem Newspaper Irfan Ucar and Managing Editor Hasan Bayar will be tried according to article 424/4 of the Turkish Criminal Code and will be facing a sentence of 3 months to one year imprisonment and a fine. It has also been requested that one sixth of the sentence be increased one third according to

article 273 of the law.

The Newroz Case Continues

The journalist and 14 others are being charged with "insulting and ridiculing the Republic" and "promoting criminal actions" for defending the right to education in the mother tongue during the 2002 Newroz celebrations.

This trial where Aygun is specifically being charged with "criticizing practices in Turkey and Tunceli and leading chants" will continue..

Two Complaints Voided

Owner Aygun and administrator Inan Yilmaz of the "Munzur Haber" newspaper were also investigated for publishing a Human Right's Association report outlining military threats against village leaders in Hozat.

The journalists were being charged with "insult and ridicule" but the investigation was discontinued.

Journalists Aygun and Yilmaz were also reported by the City Gendarme Command for running a story titled "They Burnt My House Down". This complaint was also discontinued on January 12. (EO/AT/YE)