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The Tekirdağ 2nd Penal Judgeship of Peace has ruled that Ferhat Akgün, a reporter from a local newspaper in the province, shall be put under house arrest because he entered Tekirdağ State Hospital, a pandemic hospital, without permission and "violated the inviolability of a workplace."
The house arrest has caused public outrage.
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Given a house arrest, journalist Akgün is well-known for a news report from 2014 entitled "Tekirdağ Governor protested Coca-Cola by drinking Fanta." The report in question was about Ali Yerlikaya, the then Governor of Tekirdağ and the current Governor of İstanbul.
CHP and İYİ Party expressed support
Akgün has said that he was handcuffed like an ordinary criminal and taken to the prosecutor's office to depose. He has also indicated that he received calls of support from main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Vice Chair and Spokesperson Faik Öztrak, CHP MPs Candan Yüceer and İlhami Özcan as well as İYİ Party MP Enez Kaplan.
Yüceer: Journalism is like a bed of nails
Speaking ahead of World Press Freedom Day yesterday (May 3), Akgün said that CHP Vice Chair Öztrak would refer to him in his press statement to mark the day. CHP Tekirdağ MP Candan Yüceer has also stated the following about the house arrest given to local journalist Ferhat Akgün:
"In fact, what is imprisoned and intimidated in the person of Ferhat is journalism. It is the punishment for reporting and criticizing unjust acts, lies and the truth. Journalism is like lying on a bed of nails.
"It is the duty of all citizens believing freedom of press and information to claim the journalists who lie on this bed of nails and lay claim to the honor of their pens. Journalism is not a crime."
While the Tekirdağ representatives of state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), İhlas News Agency (İHA) and Demirören News Agency (DHA) have not reported on Ferhat Akgün's house arrest, CHP, AKP and Future Party provincial and district chairs, Tekirdağ Metropolitan Mayor Kadri Albayrak and some district mayors have shared messages of support. (YÖ/EMK/SD)
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