Özgür Ülke daily’s technical building in Kadırga, headquarters in Cağaloğlu and office in Ankara were subject to a bomb attack on December 3, 1994. 32-year-old, Ersin Yıldız, transportation officer in Kadırga office had been killed, 23 employees injured in the attack.
21 years after the attack, journalists came to Kadırga again. Ersin Yıldız and other injured press employees have been remembered in the demonstration with banners “Free Press Can’t be Silenced” and slogans such as “Comrade Ersin Is Immortal”.
Democratic Peoples’ Party (HDP) MP Pervin Buldan, ex-MP Sezai Temelli, Co-Chairs Ayşe Erdem and Cesim Soylu have also supported the demonstration organized by journalists of Özgür Gündem daily.
Journalists demonstrated carrying Özgür Ülke daily’s papers issued after the attack, Özgür Gündem daily’s papers, photographs of Kadri Bağdu and Musa Anteri, deliverers of Azadiya Welat daily who were killed in Diyarbakır and carnations in their hands.
Buldan: “Press has never been free in Turkey”
Zana Kaya from Özgür Gündem daily stated, “Özgür Ülke had been uncovering dirty works and its journalistic attitude caused it become a target”.
“Similar pressure against free press continues today and we will overcome the pressure and attacks with the help of the heritage of struggle for freedom of press.”
Pervin Buldan stated in her remembrance speech for all murdered journalists that between 1990 and 1995, various persons and organizations were tried to be silenced with unsolved murders and bombs and the next generation continues struggling.
““Press has never been free in Turkey, neither today. They try to silence the free press through sending journalists to jail like they did to Can Dündar end Erdem Gül if they can’t manage it through slaughtering them. Also after the government of Justice and Development Party (AKP) press members have been murdered and those who are not murdered have been tried to be intimidated. Yet there are still ones trying to be free press members.
“If perpetrators of this bombing had been revealed 21 years ago, bombings in Suruç and Ankara would also not occur. All unsolved murders and executions without due process must be brought to light and those who bombed Özgür Ülke must be judged”.
“It was target of the attacks”
In the statement read by editor Günay Aksoy in the name of Özgür Gündem daily following expressions came to the forefront:
“21 years ago with an order by then Prime Minister Tansu Çiller, our newspaper Özgür Ülke was bombed which had adopted the principle of report the truth under every condition. This typical tradition of the government which accuses victims and sufferers has brought the 23 employees who did not die after the attack into jail instead of hospital. The tradition of the government continues”.
“They were not brought to trial”
”Özgür Ülke daily unveiled within 10 days the written order of then Prime Minister where the instructions of National Security Council (MGK) were noted in accordance with its decision. Regarding the incident, then Provincial Police Chief called on then Chief Security Region ‘pull your men from my region’ and press reported this.
“The government which continues its policy of not judging the state’s crimes also did not bring this crime on to trial. More precisely, it was put on ice as if a trial had taken place. Coming to power while frankly declaring that it won’t do the procedure, the government of AKP can say today ‘we don’t throw you in acid holes anymore, but into jail’”.
“What we have witnessed”
“We have witnessed Vice Prime Minister in charge for press showing our newspaper as a target on TV broadcast, more than 60 investigations brought against our members and partisan press frankly reporting our newspaper to be closed down in a manner of giving an order to judical powers. Anadolu Ajansı (State-run Anadolu news Agency) (AA) getting the message right has terminated our subscription agreement.” (BK/DG)
Click here to read the article in Turkish
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