Editors-in-Chief on Watch to Testify to Police

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Prosecutor Gökhan Yolasığmaz who would take testimony of journalists Nadire Mater, Yıldırım Türker, Tuğrul Eryılmaz, Faruk Balıkçı and Veysi Altay into who probe has been launched for supporting Özgür Gündem daily's Editor-in-Chief on Watch campaign hasn't arrived in his office at the İstanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan. 

The journalists in subject are facing charge of "terrorism propaganda" over some article published in the daily.

Eyüboğlu: New procedure

Attorney Meriç Eyüboğlu has stated that the testimonies will be taken at the Police Station.

Eyüboğlu noting they've waited the Prosecutor Yolasığmaz since 9 a.m. said, "But as we were informed twice, from now on the testimonies will be taken at the Police Station by prosecution order.

"There won't be arrivals in groups at the prosecution any more. Instead, the security officials will invite the individuals to the Security Directorate in Vatan street".

Mater: The greatest solidarity is to make the crackdowns visible

Mater said she hopes the solidarity and togetherness emerging will be a "mean to convey what Özgür Gündem and Kurdish media go through".

Mater stating that they served as Editor-in-Chief for just one day said, "İnan Kızılkaya has been Özgür Gündem daily's Editor-in-Chief for three months and there is about 100 cases on him, the biggest solidarity will be to make this visible".

Kızılkaya: We are under pressure for writing right violations

"Purpose of the Özgür Gündem Editor-in-Chief on Watch campaign was to make right and freedom of the press violations in Turkey visible and that to draw attention to war which has been going on for a year. There is a war in this country going on for a year and it is people's war but [Presidential] Palace's war".

Following the statement editors-in-chief on watch and others with them left the courthouse.

Kürkçü: The Police Station is not an institution of testimony

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İzmir MP, Ertuğrul Kürkçü drawing attention to reactions inside and outside the country due to the arrest of Ahmet Nesin, Erol Önderoğlu, and Şebnem Korur Fincancı, said the Justice and Development Party (AKP) may wish to take a step back but it won't come to mean that the AKP has given up on its plans.

"Forcing journalists to testify at the Anti-Terror Bureau is highly a negative attitude.

"The Police Station is not an institution of testimony. We are now face to face with a sneakier attack mechanism". (EA/EKN/TK)