‘Co-Editorship-in-Chief Campaign’ by Özgür Gündem

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Özgür Gündem daily has launched the “Co-Editorship-in-Chief Campaign” to show solidarity and defend press freedom against oppressions and investigations

Within the campaign launched on May 3 World Press Freedom Day, Association of Free Journalists (ÖGC) Co-Chairs Nevin Erdemir and Hakkı Boltan became the first co-editors in chief.

The campaign has been introduced by a press conference held in the building of the newspaper. Chairpersons of Journalist's Union of Turkey (TGS) Uğur Güç, Hasip Kaplan, Evrensel daily Editor-in-Chief Fatih Polat and journalist Fehim Işık were among the ones who have attended the conference.

Özgür Gündem daily, Chief Coordinator Ahmet Birsin has noted that they wanted to point out to the current intention of putting an end to freedom of press in Turkey and to raise solidarity. Adding that May 3 World Press Freedom Day was a bittersweet day for them to celebrate, Birsin has noted that the 80 cases against Özgür Gündem daily were still on trial.

Within the campaign in which a journalist, writer or an activist will be in charge as a Co-Editor in Chief on duty, some will show their supports through articles and reports they have written. The campaign has been planned to last one month.

The reason for such constellation of the campaign has been declared as: “Still three months in prison is being demanded for the Co-Chair in Chief, and three years and approximately 108,050 euro as well as nine months for the Chief Editor are being sought before the Supreme Court of Appeal”. (BK/DG)