Message from Ahmet Şık: I am a Referendum Hostage

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Being arrested on December 30, 2016 and kept in Silivri Prison since January 3, 2017, journalist Ahmet Şık had a closed meeting with his wife today (March 9).

Sending a message to bianet, Şık said:

“Like many who kept in prison, I also know that I am being kept hostage for the [constitutional amendment] referendum. Today’s prosecutors are no different than [Gülen] Community’s ones. As I would have said if I were outside, against all sorts of dicta regime, in every language, NO!”

What had happened?

Ahmet Şık was detained due to his social media posts and article on December 29, 2016 in the morning hours.

İstanbul 8th Criminal Judgeship of Peace ruled arrest of Şık for “propagandizing for FETÖ/PDY (Fethullahist Terror Organization/Parallel State Structure and PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party)” on December 30, 2016.

Taken to Metris Prison following his arrest, Şık wasn’t allowed to meet his attorney Can Atalay on the ground that audio recording couldn’t be done.

On January 3, 2017, Şık was transferred to Silivri Prison in which he was kept for 375 days as part of Oda TV investigation.

On January 4, 2017, İstanbul 9th Criminal Judgeship of Peace rejected the objection filed against Şık’s arrest.

Şık met with his wife Yonca Verdioğlu Şık and attorneys on January 5, 2017, the first time since his arrest on December 30, 2016.

It came to light in these meetings that Şık was not given water during three days in which he was kept in solidarity confinement in both Metris and Silivri prisons. Şık learned about even the Reina massacre, which killed 39 people, in these meetings.

Isolation of Şık, who was kept in solidarity confinement, not given newspapers and books, and not allowed to speak with anyone during two weeks, ended in the middle of January.

Şık stood trial with the journalists Soner Yalçın, Barış Pehlivan, Barış Terkoğlu, Ayhan Bozkurt, Ahmet Şık, Nedim Şener, Müyesser Yıldız, Doğan Yurdakul, Coşkun Musluk, Sait Çakır, Yalçın Küçük, İklim Bayraktar and former Security Director Hanefi Avcı at Çağlayan Courthouse on January 15, 2017 in Oda TV case in which he remained behind bars for 375 days.

Şık appeared before judge at Silivri Courthouse on February 21, 2017 due to the statements he made following his release of the Oda TV case. (EKN/TK)