"I am a Journalist in Exile"

"I was silenced in Turkey and now I am in exile. I had to ask for political asylum from Germany," Abay said in a statement.

The events leading to Abay's exile began in 2003 when Abay, editor of Atilim newspaper, was held on police custody after Aligül Alkaya, who later on said she was under torture, mentioned Abay's name in her testimony.

Detained for four days, Abay was released and recaptured after the general attorney issued another arrest warrant at the same day, charging him with being a "terrorist organization leader". Released again, Abay was being tried for 8 years.

In 2011, Abay was sentenced to 11 years and 9 months of imprisonment for alleged charges on being a "terrorist organization".

On October 15, an appeals court commuted the court's verdict into 10-15 years of imprisonment.

"I was lately traveling in abroad to attend panels on press freedom. I made presentation in Germany, Switzerland and France. I had to cancel my trip after the verdict and ask for political asylum from Germany," Abay said. "The Turkish state forced me to choose between prison and exile."

Abay said he would continue his struggle to improve press freedom and freedom of expression in Turkey from his new country of residence. "My post at Jailed Journalists Solidarity Platform will also continue," he said. (AS)