bianet's book on press freedom referenced during parliamentary discussions

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During the discussion of a parliamentary investigation proposal regarding imprisoned journalists, a Green Left Party MP referred to the book "A Decade of Freedom of Expression: 2012-2022," published by IPS Communication Foundation/bianet.

In yesterday's session, the Green Left Party presented a proposal to prioritize the investigation on imprisoned journalists ahead of other motions in parliament. MP Ayşegül Doğan took the floor to explain the proposal and, while discussing long-standing violations of freedom of expression against Kurdish media, made reference to the book.

Having worked as a journalist before being elected as a member of parliament, Doğan stated, "I brought a book here. It's titled 'A Decade of Freedom of Expression.' My colleague and journalist friend, Gökçer Tahincioğlu, compiled this book for bianet, and I contributed a chapter to it.

"At that time, I wasn't a member of parliament, nor was I a candidate. In the chapter I wrote, I wanted to send questions to imprisoned Kurdish journalists."

"Ömer Çelik, an editor for Mezopotamya Agency, is currently one of the journalists being held in custody and unjustly and unlawfully prosecuted. I asked him about his story, and he responded as follows:

"'All the events in recent years are actually like a panorama of the Republic, which has entered its 100th year. If I were to give an example from the past 10 years based on my own story, in 2011, I was held in pretrial detention for a year and a half on charges of 'membership in a [terrorist] organization' due to my news articles, which were classified as crimes through the collaboration of the AKP government and the judiciary under the control of the Gülen Movement.

"The police officers who prepared the investigation reports against us, some of the judges who presided over our case, are now in prison, but our trial has not reached a conclusion for 11 years,' says Ömer Çelik, who is currently imprisoned once again."

"I became a 'terrorist' again"

"'The state, which did not recognize me as a journalist in that case, issued me a yellow press card during the Resolution Process [for the Kurdish question],' says Ömer Çelik.

"By the way, you described some journalists without yellow press cards as 'those close to the government' and 'those who are not.' You didn't consider them journalists for a period. They are still not recognized, I must say. Because unfortunately, the judiciary now operates under instructions."

"'When the [resolution] process didn't align with the government's calculations and came to a halt,' Ömer Çelik says, 'my yellow press card was revoked, and in the eyes of the state, I became a terrorist once again.'"

Following the initial hearing of the related trial yesterday, Çelik, along with the other 14 imprisoned journalists, was released.

The parliament rejected Green Left Party's proposal. (VC/VK)