Cumhuriyet Newspaper Resumes Work Under Police Guard

Following a series of threats due to publishing a section of Charlie Hebdo’s latest issue, Cumhuriyet newpaper resumed working under police guard, receiving solidarity visits from news associations.  

The street where the newspaper headquarters is located, is still closed to traffic and guarded by riot police teams and police tanks (TOMA). On the other hand, media representatives are allowed in the street and only newspaper workers are allowed in the premisses. 

Olcayto: They are trying to oppress Cumhuriyet 

One of the notable visitors of the newspaper included Turgay Olcayto, Chairman of Journalists Society of Turkey (TGC) along with TGC board members Recep Yaşar and Sibel Güneş.  

“Turkey is going through hard days and unfortunately there are people who provoke this,” Olcayto said. 

“Our wish is to avoid any situation that will impede freedom of thought and public right to be informed in the 21 century. However, this is not the case. They are trying to oppress the news freedom of Cumhuriyet newspaper.” 

Cumhuriyet newspaper published a selection of Charlie Hebdo’s latest issue on Wednesday. Newspaper’s columnists  Ceyda Karan and Hikmet Çetinkaya also included the cover with Prophet Mohammad in their columns. Later on, they were targeted by Yeni Şafak and Milli Gazete newspaper as well as on the social media. 

In addition to that, prosecutors launched an investigation on Cumhuriyet newspapers and its aforementioned columnist for “igniting public to hatred and animosity”. (BK/EA)

Photo credit: Mustafa Kaya  

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.