Convicted Journalist Released After 5 Years

Journalist Memik Horuz says recent improvements in maximum security F-type facilities hadnt come into effect. He was released from Bolu F-type facility as he fulfills his five year sentence for being a member of an illegal leftist organization.

Erol Önderoğlu

Journalist Memik Horuz, who was convicted of "being a member of the illegal TKP/ML organization" has been released from Bolu F-type maximum security prison after five and a half years.

Ankara State Security Court (DGM) had sentenced Horuz to 15 years in prison based on article 168/2 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) in 2002.

Horuz was convicted based on a former militant's -who cooperated with the security forces- words that he conducted interviews with militants which were than published in Ozgur Gelecek magazine. He served his full sentence despite calls by freedom of expression groups for a fair trial.

Both State Security Courts and the Penal Code were reformed since than, in an attempt to strengthen Turkey's bid for accession to the European Union.

No improvements in practice

Talking to bianet, Horuz commented on the conditions of the convicts in the controversial F-type maximum-security prison facilities.

"The recent increase of time for collective meetings between the convicts had not come into effect at the Bolu F-type facility", he said.

"The logistics and the architecture of the facility don't permit any collective meeting longer than one hour a day. I was staying with another person in a cell and we could never use our right to meet with others. Authorities used this right as a disciplinary tool".

The Ministry of Justice recently led a procedural increase for collective meetings in F-types, following lawyer Behic Asci's hunger strike that exceeded 200 days. Asci ended his protest following the Ministry's step for improvements. (EO/EU)

Origin

BÄ°A News Center

Erol Önderoğlu

[email protected]

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A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without...

A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), where he began as a reporter in 1996. Since 1999, he has worked at bianet, a project of the IPS Communication Foundation, as the coordinator of the Legal Support Desk, editor for freedom of expression, and editor-in-chief. He has authored more than 4,800 signed news articles and opinion pieces. He has also written for Bizim Gazete and the journal Güncel Hukuk. He currently prepares the Media Monitoring Reports at bianet.