"Journalists not Detained because of their Writings"

According to a study carried out by the Ministry of Justice upon the request of the Turkish Journalists Union (TGS), 18 out of 63 journalists in prison are convicted. The TGS submitted a list with the names of a total of 72 persons to the Ministry of Justice and requested information on these people's situations. TGS President Ercan İpekçi told bianet that the difference in numbers was corrected after a comparison of data.

The Ministry announced that the argument saying "press freedom in Turkey has been restricted in recent times" did not reflect the truth.

The Ministry declared, "The Turkish Journalists Union had a list of 72 names defined as detained and convicted. Three of them were not registered in any prison; six persons were released. 63 people of the list are still being imprisoned. Trials were opened against 36, 18 of whom were convicted. Investigations about 27 people are still going on. 18 of the 63 persons in prisons hold a press card; 45 people do not have a press card".

TGS President İpekçi reminded that Turan Özlü, General Publications Director of the National Channel who was arrested this week, constituted number 64 on the list. The Ministry declared that the number of journalists imprisoned on the grounds of their writings amounted to four. The list also includes the owner of Kanal B, Mehmet Haberal.

İpekçi indicated that the majority of people on the list had not been considered as journalists until today. "The Ministry is denying itself with this statement", he said and criticized the Ministry for claiming that "it is impossible to interpret the decisions on detentions and convictions that are not based on allegations related to journalistic activities as violations of press freedom".

Nedim Şener, Ahmet Şık, Yalçın Küçük and Hüseyin Soner Yalçın are just a few examples for journalists in detention whose investigations are still being continued. Mustafa Balbay has a trial pending against him and Erol Zavar was convicted. Read here some information about their situations:

Nedim Şener:

Şener works for the nation-wide Milliyet daily and holds a press card. He is detained in the Silivri No.2 L Type Prison. The investigation under allegations of membership in an armed terrorist organization (Ergenekon) is still going on.

Ahmet Şık:

Şık is a freelance journalist and holder of a press cart. He is detained in the Silivri No.2 L Type Prison; the investigation is still going on. Şık is alleged of membership in an armed terrorist organization (Erenekon).

Yalçın Küçük:

Küçük works at Oda TV and does not have a press card. He is imprisoned in the Silivri No.2 L Type Prison; the investigation is still going on. Küçük is detained under allegations of establishing and directing an armed terrorist organization (Ergenekon); attempting to abolish the Turkish Grand National Assembly or preventing it from performing its duty; attempting to abolish the Government of the Turkish Republic or preventing it from performing its duty.

Hüseyin Soner Yalçın:

Yalçın holds a press card and works for Oda TV and the nation-wide Hürriyet newspaper. He is imprisoned in the Silivri No.1 L Type Prison. The investigation about him was launched on charges of membership of an armed terrorist organization (Ergenekon); destroying documents related to state security or using them for purposes other than intended and cheating in selling and buying goods. The investigation is still being continued.

Mustafa Ali Balbay:

Balbay worked for the Cumhuriyet daily and has a press card.  He is detained pending trial at the Silivri No.1 L Type Prison. He is being prosecuted under allegations of actively participating in the preparation of actions to attempt to overthrow the government in a coup and of conveying all messages of İlhan Selcuk (alleged top level executive of the Ergenekon armed terrorist organization) to top level state officials in confidential meetings.

Erol Zavar:

Press card holder Zavar works for the Odak Magazine. He received a life sentence and was incarcerated in the Ankara No.1 F Type Prison. He was found guilty of participating in the kidnapping of a person by members of the Turkey's People's Liberation Party-Front (THKP-C) and bringing that person to a house of the organization; using a gun and a fake police ID during the action; pretending to be a police officer at the Anti-Terror Branch (TEM); membership of an armed terrorist organization and changing the constitutional order by force. His life sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeals. (ÖÖ/AS)