‘We No Longer Chase After Coronavirus News After Being Detained’

* Photo: seskocaeli.com

Click to read the article in Turkish

"The police took me from my home in the middle of the night due to coronavirus news. I was released when it was understood that I didn't make the news. But, it was an intimidation. We had to stop chasing after coronavirus news. We now only report on official statements."

İsmet Çiğit... He is the Editor-in-Chief of Kocaeli-based Ses Newspaper. A news report entitled "2 People Lose Their Lives Due to Corona in Sopalı" was published on the website of the newspaper on March 18.

Following this news based on sources from the Kocaeli Derince Training and Research Hospital, İsmet Çiğit was taken into custody at night. He was released in early morning hours, but he tells us that they no longer make news on coronavirus due to the pressure.

According to the reports of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey, İsmet Çiğit is one of the at least seven journalists who have been taken into custody in the last week in the provinces of Antalya, Kocaeli and Bartın due to their news reports on coronavirus pandemic in Turkey.

'This time, police didn't summon, but came'

Noting that he was summoned to depose for many times before over different news, Çiğit has recounted his detention as follows:

"Something different happened at Wednesday night. The police did not summon this time. They came to my house upon the instruction of the prosecutor on duty, they took me out of my bed, handcuffed me and took me to depose. It was the first time that I experienced something like this. I knew that it could happen anytime, but when it does happen, one feels odd."

The police officers who came to his house were quite polite, according to Çiğit, who has added, "The treatment was ugly in spite of that."

'I didn't make the news, but my partner'

Çiğit has told us that the police took him to the public hospital for a standard medical examination and continued as follows:

"I prepare the print version of the newspaper and my partner Güngör Arslan prepares its web page. When I left home, my son called Güngör Arslan. When I came to the public hospital in a police vehicle, Güngör had already been there. We went to the security branch after the examination. They asked me whether I wrote the news or not.

"When Güngör said that he made the news, things changed. The police called the prosecutor on duty. This time, they released me and detained Güngör. I got back home at 4 a.m. while Güngör spent the night behind bars. He could be only released in the morning after deposing to the prosecutor."

'They asked our news sources'

Noting that there is no broadcast or publication ban relating to the issue, Çiğit has underlined that their detention was intended as intimidation.

Indicating that there are a considerable number of people currently in coronavirus quarantine in Kocaeli, Çiğit has said:

"Thousands of reports and tips come to our newspaper everyday. You make a further research into it... We understood that the report about Sopalı was true. Güngör called a couple of people from the hospital and they confirmed it. At the security department, we were also asked where we got the news and who our news sources were.

'We have stopped chasing after this issue'

"The state tried to hide something here, but failed. Instead, it prefered silencing us with pressure. And we have stopped chasing after it. We have stopped, saying 'God, damn it.' Because when we tell them who we are, people do not want to speak to us. Hospital personnel also have trouble. One of their aims was that in the first place. Because the news was true and they wanted to learn who leaked it and who gave the information.

"We have stopped chasing after it as our sources will have trouble. We now only follow official statements. I am waiting for an apology from the state." (HA/SD)