Journalists and caricaturists continue to criticize the Prime Minister Erdogan who sued caricaturist Kart of Cumhuriyet daily for drawing him as a cat. Caricaturist Kart and editor-in-chief Sucu were fined a total of 3,800 dollars for the caricature.

Arrested during a demonstration in early January organized by the Socialist Platform of the Oppressed, BEKSAV cameraman Kervanci and six employees of socialist press face up to 15 years in prison. They will stand trial on March 11.

During the 2nd Turkish Journalists Conference, Turkish media embraced the idea of contributing to dialogue between the Western and Arab media. In the final statement, journalists demanded that the Media Labor Law is fully implemented.

According to the BIA2 Report, RTUK ordered 12 local media off the air for a total of 360 days. Two reporters are still in prison. The report tackles 115 cases and conditions of 222 journalists. 13 cases were opened based on article 159 and 8 based on 312.

TGC head Erinc said that the Labor Ministry would finalize its preparations on the Press Labor Law in 2005 and expressed hope that the medias problems will be solved. The amendments to the TCK indicate that were not going to have a good year, he told.

National Security Policy Document is secret. This is the MGKs reply to human rights activisit Yurdatapans question. When he didnt get a satisfactory response to his objection, he applied to the Evaluation Board for Obtaining Information.

A court, handling the trial opened against Radyo Dunya for citing an announcement by the imprisoned PKK leader Ocalan, decided the wait for the outcome of the other trial opened against radio officials for the propaganda of an illegal organisation.

Suna Parlak, a writer for the Ulkede Ozgur Gundem newspaper, who was detained for being a member of the outlawed Kongra-Gel organization, and Helen Buket from the Rainbow Womens Organization, were released pending the outcome of their trial.

The Human Rights Association said that the detention of Parlak, a writer for the Ulkede Ozgur Gundem newspaper, is illegal. It said the media coverage of the incident amounted to a blow to personal rights and the right to defense.

After his acquittal, Cartoonist Ustündağ is being sued again for obscenity of his book Sunday Lovers which has been sent to an expert for further investigation. The writer of the other book Apple; Batur is expected to give evidence to the court.

Hakan Albayrak, the former writer for the Milli Gazete, who was convicted and arrested for insulting Ataturk in one of his articles, was released from the Ankara Kalecik prison after serving for six months.

RTUK gives a 30-day closure to Hakkari FM because of Democratic People Partys chair Suvagcis words. In the program he condemned the closing of the party, those missing while under arrest and he wants a democratic solution to the Kurdish issue.

Journalist Sirin, who was sentenced to 17.5 years for being a member of an illegal organization, and who has been in prison for 8.5 years, was released due to amendments to the Turkish Penal Code.

Attorneys of Kutlular the owner of daily Yeni Asya and Şirin, the writer of daily Selam who were sentenced to 2 years and 1 year 8 months respectively are going to appeal to supreme court for the correction of their sentences.

The BİA² third quarterly Media Monitoring Report for the period July-September 2004 deals with 26 court cases and 69 journalists. Two journalists are threatened by ruling AKP officials and a daily is heavily fined for a cartoon critical of Erdogan.

A Datca court acquitted Kara as a result of the amendments to the Press Law. He, the former owner of daiy Datca News , was standing trial for not delivering the local official two copies of the dailies. He had been jailed for the same reason before.

Hurriyet reporter Karakurt, who was detained for interviewing Kurdish militant Karayilan on the Kandil Mountain, and writing about the lives of militants, was detained by the police and later released. TGC ve the Press Council condemned his detention.

Military control over RTUK ceases, yet radio broadcast bans continue says the report BİA² media monitoring report. 11 cases against 13 journalists have continueed; 6 journalists have been detained during July-September period.

Incesu, a caricaturist of daily Ulkede Ozgur Gundem said the international community would not understand why daily Evrensel was fined for a caricature. Kart from the daily Cumhuriyet drew a stick man to represent the prime minister in his caricature.

The improvements brought about by harmonization regulations to articles on dangerous provocation and insulting the state, have been kept in the new TCK. But the new law brings about new crimes for the media members including Internet reporters.