Magazine Journalists Face Trial

Weekly Tempo magazine reporter Tayman and Editor in Chief Barlas face up to six years jail for published interview of KURD-DER spokesman Guclu. Journalists charged with insulting Turkishness and inciting disobedience to laws.

Erol Önderoğlu

Turkey's weekly Tempo magazine reporter Enis Mazhar Tayman and its editor-in-chief Neval Barlas face up to six years imprisonment each, if found guilty on charges related to a published interview with KURD-DER spokesman and Freedoms Party (Hak-Par) former chairman Ibrahim Guclu.

The trial of the two newsmen on charges of "insulting Turkishness and the Republic" and "inciting the people to disobey laws" was adjourned to October 5 in a hearing held on Friday, June 9, with a decision to bring defendant Tayman to court by force.

In last week's hearing, the Istanbul Bagcilar 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance Court was still waiting for a statement from the third defendant Guclu, whose words led to the case, but Prosecutor Omer Karacal decided not to hear Barlas in person as the author of the article subject to trial was known.

The case against Guclu and the Tempo journalists was launched on March 13, 2006 in relation to a December 2, 2005 article in the magazine titled "I would have torn that identity".

The defendants are on trial under Turkish Penal Code articles 301/1, 217 and 218 and face up to six years imprisonment each if found guilty.

Tayman and Barlas face charges for a section in the article where a reference is made to Guclu's remarks, reading, "KURD-DER spokesman Ibrahim Guclu says his views straight forward and speaks. According to him, Turkey has occupied Northern Kurdistan.

The place he describes as Northern Kurdistan is our Southeast. Guclu, who defends a federal system, is ambitious enough to burn down ships when he gets angry. To burn down a Turkish Republic identity card is inclusive to this. So that's a voice from the Southeast". (EO/II/YE)

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.