Cases of Attacks on Journalists Drag on For a Year: 'Did I Have to Die?'

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In last May, five journalists were attacked and injured in separate incidents. Although the perpetrators were quickly identified, cases of the four journalists still continue. For one of them, a case has not been filed yet.

We spoke with them about what they have experienced over the past year and about the trials.

CLICK - Five Journalists Physically Assaulted Over the Last Two Weeks

"They were released in two hours"

Yavuz Selim Demirağ, a columnist for the daily Yeniçağ, was reportedly attacked by eight or nine people near his home after a TV broadcast on May, 11, 2019. Six people were shortly detained after the attack.

While the perpetrators were released after two hours in custody, he has not been summoned by the prosecutor to give a statement yet, Demirağ told bianet.

"I was in the hospital for a while, my pains continued after I left the hospital. When I went to the hospital again for my pains, it turned out that my rib was broken.

"Together with my lawyer, I handed over the hospital reports to the prosecutor's office, but there is still no result yet. The reason for the prosecutor's office to release those who attacked me was that I was not in a life-threatening condition.

"Did I have to die for these people to be tried and punished? But law is something like this in Turkey."

"Assailants are free, I was sentenced for insult"

İdris Özyol is a columnist at Akdeniz'de Yeni Yüzyıl, an Antalya-based local newspaper covering the country's Mediterranean Region. On May 15, 2019, he was attacked by three people with batons. One of them was Talu Bilgili, the Muratpaşa district chairperson of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), an ally of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Özyol said that the attack came after he reported an incident where Bilgili beat a 17-year-old child. While the case of the attack still continues, Özyol was handed a suspended prison sentence of 3 months and 15 days for "insult."

"The assailants were identified from the cameras, there was footage of them, and they were rounded up in the party's district building, where they went after the attack. I also identified them but these people were released after their statements were taken," he said.

"The investigation process took a long time and a lawsuit was filed in the past months. The first hearing would be held in May, one year after the attack, but hearings have been delayed due to coronavirus.

"Moreover, a case for insult was filed against me after the attack. While the case of the attack did not start in a year, the case for insult quickly started and ended."

Simple injury charge for an armed assault

Hakan Denizli, the founder of daily Egemen, a local newspaper based in the southern Adana province, was attacked by armed assailants in front of his home on May 24, 2019. Although he was seriously wounded in the attack the assailants were charged with "simple injury."

"I was subjected to an armed attack while I was with my daughter and grandchild. I had two surgeries. I stayed in the hospital for 19 days, five of which were in intensive care. When I got home, I received physical therapy for 35 days.

"When I was in the hospital, four people were arrested, one ran away. There were seven people in the investigation.

"While I expected a case to be opened for attempted murder, armed attack, a planned, premeditated event, the prosecutor's office prepared the indictment for simple injury. While I expected a trial at an heavy penal court, the first hearing was held at a court of first instance."

While the court rejected Denizli's request for the case to be handed over to a heavy penal court, the interim judge released the defendants, he said. In the second hearing, the judge lifted the judicial control order against the assailants. The third hearing, which was scheduled for April 28, has been postponed.

"In these circumstances, I lost my faith in justice. It is very clear that this incident was an attempted murder. Most likely, this case will end without the attackers receiving any sentence," he remarked.

Attack after report on an irregularity

Ergin Çevik, the editor-in-chief of Güney Haberci, another local newspaper in Antalya, was attacked by three people on May 20, 2019. The first hearing of his case was held in February and the attackers were not remanded in custody, he said.

"I only reported an irregularity. It was a news report about a business that refused to leave a public building despite two court decisions and the cancellation of a contract by the municipality," Çevik told bianet.

"I acted in the name of the public and I was punished. Those who attacked me are free now. Nothing was done against the instigators. Moreover, they have not left the building despite the court orders. They add more to their unearned income. Unfortunately, some people get away with such attacks today."

Two attacks in two years

Journalist and writer Sabahattin Önkibar was attacked by three people near his home in Ankara, the capital, on May 25, 2019. Again, the assailants were quickly rounded up and released after a short detention.

After Önkibar filed a complaint, a case was opened. Two hearings have been held so far. "It is uncertain when the case will end," he said.

Recalling that he was also attacked in İstanbul three years ago by the Grey Wolves, a nationalist group affiliated with the MHP, he noted that the case of that incident still continues.

"This is how the judiciary is in Turkey. Some cases are concluded immediately, some, unfortunately, are being dragged on. We are not wanted to speak, write," Önkibar said.

RSF representative: The state shouldn't tolerate violence

Turkey is considered a country where those who attack journalists rarely receive the punishment they deserve and instigators are never revealed, said Erol Önderoğlu, the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) representative for Turkey. He noted that the cases of journalists Musa Anter and Hrant Dink, who were murdered in 1992 and 1007, respectively, are still underway.

Journalists who were attacked after being "politically targeted" in the wake of the March 2019 local elections, where the opposition took over major cities from the AKP, have not been even summoned to give a statement, he said.

As the RSF, they expected the state to demonstrate that it does not tolerate violence by putting those responsible for a trial, Önderoğlu said. "Otherwise, Turkey will be known as a country where aggression towards journalists is tolerated. Not allowing this impunity depends on the legal institutions." (HA/VK)