Detained Dutch Journalist Umar Goes Out of Citizenship of Turkey

Click here to read the article in Turkish / Haberin Türkçesi için buraya tıklayın

Dutch columnist Ebru Umar detained on charge of “insulting President” has taken decision to go out of citizenship of Turkey.

Umar going live on Radio Holland via phone said she wants to “get rid of citizenship of Turkey”.

Umar who stated that single citizenship is wiser directly had citizenship of Turkey since her parents were of Turkey origin.

Detention over insulting President

Metro daily columnist Umar was detained on April 23 on her visit to Kuşadası district over insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Umar was complained to Aydın Governorship and Kuşadası police by a user over her social media sharings.

Umar released on condition of judicial control will not be able to leave Turkey for at least another week.

Detention of the journalist has sparked criticism in social media as well.

#EU criticizes #Turkey on #PressFreedom abuses. For latest on its harassment of press follow CPJ Crackdown Chronicle https://t.co/EdfoSZrlig

— CPJ (@pressfreedom) April 28, 2016

Umar in the video-message she shared on her Twitter account said thet she will object to this decision.

Hello World! I m out of bed. Better. Let's kick some ass today. https://t.co/moYvecIl2X

— Ebru Umar (@umarebru) April 29, 2016

The journalists thanking for the support messages will put signature within the scope of the judicial control tonight (April 29).

BBC Türkçe reported that the journalist started writing her articles on the website that belonged to director Theo van Gogh who was killed by Muhammed Bouveri of Morocco origin for “insulting Islam”.

The journalist has been drawing reaction from people of Turkey origin residing in the Netherlands because of her articles against Islam, AKP (Justice and Development Party) and Erdoğan.

Blijf met je islamofascistische poten van onze @umarebru af Erdogan. #freeebru

— Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) April 23, 2016

Following the detention of Umar, Freedom Party (PVV) Leader, Geert Wilders known as anti-refugee and anti-Islamist had tweeted as “Islamic-fascist Erdoğan, remove your foot off our Ebru Umar”.

Five journalists hindered in one month

Finn journalist-writer Taina Niemela was detained on April 26 on charge of “espionage activities” and sent to repatriation center to be deported.

Niemala is the fifth person who has been deported or entrance to Turkey denied.

Freelance journalist David Lepeska making reports for international media outlets such as the Guardian, Al Jazeera, Foreign Affairs was denied in Atatürk Airport on April 25 and sent back to Chicago.

Greek photo journalist Giorgos Moutafis working for Bild, Reuters, Time, Al Jazeera, Newsweek, and CNN wasn’t let in Turkey on April 23.

Sputnik General Directorate of Turkey, Tural Kerimov was denied entrance to Turkey on April 20. Kerimov’s press card and residence permit have also been seized.

ARD’s Cairo bureau executive Volker Schwenck was deported on April 19 by being handed a document named “Entry ban”.

Vice Prime Minister, Numan Kurtulmuş as to the matter had made the explanation that, “One of the journalists deported yesterday was in fact not an accredited journalist in Turkey. Security motives are being brought forward for each of these instances. Such decisions are being taken within frame of security motives”. (EA/TK)