Name-by-Name Imprisoned Journalists

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122 journalists and media staff entered 1st January 2018 in prison; 122 prisoners: 66 of them are defendant, 21 of them are convicts, 4 of them are condemned, 31 of them are suspected. 79 journalists are in prison due to the FETÖ (Fettullahist Terorist Organization) cases, and 28 journalists are in prison due to the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) cases.

Of the 122 journalists in jail, 66 are on trial, 31 face prosecution, 21 are convicts, 4 are waiting for the results of their objection to their ruled punishments.

In the same period of the last year, 18 of the 131 journalists in prison are convicts, 7 are on trial, 106 are facing prosecution.

In Turkey, the situation of the journalists and media staff in prison reflects differently on public opinion both domestically and internationally. While some organizations and entrepreneurships make defence in the basis of their being “journalist”, others ground on “whether they are in prison within the framework of journalism”. Moreover, even though they start off the same criterion, they can obtain different results. According to the BİA Media Monitoring Report, journalists in prison and those who are introduced by their media organization as journalist are taken under review in consideration of their actions within the framework of Turkish Criminal Code or Anti-Terror Law without arriving at any detection or result within the framework of journalism.

79 journalists in “FETÖ cases”

From the declaration of the State of Emergency (OHAL) in 20th of July 2016 to today, 79 apprehended journalists and media representatives within the framework of the operations related to the “Fethullahist Terorist Organization/Parallel State Construct – FETÖ/PDY” were in prison by 1st of January 2018.

At least 56 of these people are still on trial with the claims of “FETÖ management or membership”, “attempt to overthrow the government”, “service to the organization”, “conscious service to the organization without membership” and “propaganda for the organization”; while two of them brought their sentences to the Court of Appeal, 21 of them are waiting for bill of indictment.

28 prisoners in PKK cases

While 14 media representatives are convicts in “KCK – PKK – DYG memberships or propagation” cases, eight of them were still on trial; six of them are being indicted.

Two of them are convicts from “MLKP membership”, one of them from “sedition”, one from “TKEP/L membership”, one from “Turkish Revenge Union Organization (TİBT) membership”, one from “Resistance Organization membership”, one from “DHKP/C membership”, two of them are on trial from “helping to FETÖ/PKK” and another is on trial from “FETÖ/DHKP-C propaganda”. Two journalists are being indicted with the suspicion of “MLKP membership”, other three of them are being indicted with the suspicion of connection with organizations that are not still known.

FETÖ/PDY management/membership/putschism/helping to the organization/conscious help without membership/organization propaganda: Abdullah Kılıç (columnist in Meydan newspaper), Ahmet Altan (early editorial director of Taraf newspaper), Ahmet Memiş (news director of Haberdar website), Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş (vice chairman of the management board of Cihan Media), Ahmet Turan Alkan (early author of Zaman newspaper), Ahmet Yavaş (Erzurum correspondent of TRT radio), Alaattin Kaya (early grant holder of Zaman newspaper), Ali Bulaç (early author of Zaman newspaper), Ali Ünal (early editor-in-chief of Zaman newspaper), Ali Yüce (broadcasting manager of TRT radio), Ayşe Nazlı Ilıcak (author of Bugün and Yarına Bakış newspapers), Ayşenur Parıldak (correspondent of Zaman newspaper), Aytekin Gezici (journalist-author in Adana), Aziz İstegün (early Diyarbakır regional agent of Zaman newspaper), Bayram Kaya (correspondent of Zaman and Yeni Hayat newspapers), Bayram Parlak (correspondent of Diyarbakır Radyo Cihan), Behram Kılıç (early author of Zaman newspaper), Burak Ekici (early editor of Birgün newspaper), Burçin Dokgöz (Çorum correspondent of Zaman newspaper), Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu (correspondent of Aksiyon magazine), Cuma Kaya (author of Zaman newspaper), Cuma Ulus (early editorial coordinator of Millet newspaper), Cumali Önal (early head of Arabic servis in Zaman newspaper), Cüneyt Seza Özkan (news director of Samanyolu TV), Emre Soncan (early defence correspondent of Zaman), Ercan Gün (news editor of Fox TV), Erdal Şen (editor-in-chief of Meydan newspaper), Ersin Şanlı (news director of TRT), Faruk Akkan (general director of Cihan News Agency), Fevzi Yazıcı (visual director of Zaman newspaper), Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu (author of Turkish Left magazine), Gültekin Avcı (ealy columnist of Birgün newspaper), Habip Güler (early correspondent of Zaman newspaper), Hakan Aksel (TRT News and Sport Department vice coordinator and producer), Halil İbrahim Mert (TRT TV Erzurum cameraman), Hanım Büşra Erdal (early correspondent and columnist of Zaman newspaper), Hamza Günerigün (newscaster of TRT News), Hüseyin Aydın (early correspondent of CİHAN), Hüseyin Turan (author of Zaman newspaper), İbrahim Balta (early economy editor of Zaman newspaper), İbrahim Karayeğen (early editor-in-chief of Zaman newspaper), İdris Okur (CİHAN Çorum correspondent), İsa Sivi (editor of Haberdar website), İsmail Avcı (Zaman newspaper correspondent), Lokman Erdoğan (author of Çorum Manşet newspaper), Mehmet Altan (journalist-author), Mehmet Gündem (early author of Milliyet newspaper), Muhsin Pilgir (early correspondent of Zaman and Cihan), Murat Dağdeviren (owner of Demokrat Gebze newspaper), Mustafa Erkan Acar (early news director of Zaman newspaper), Mustafa Ünal (early Ankara publishing editor of Zaman newspaper), Mutlu Çölgeçen (editorial coordinator of Millet newspaper), Mutlu Özay (CİHAN Agency correspondent), Mümtaz’er Türköne (early author of Zaman newspaper), Nadir Yücel (editorial director of Çorum Yıldız newspaper), Nuh Gönültaş (early columnist of Bugün newspaper), Nur Ener Kılınç (editor of Yeni Asya newspaper), Nuri Durna (TRT Erzurum correspondent), Nurullah Kaya (early Gaziantep regional agent of Zaman newspaper), Oğuz Usluer (early news coordinator of HaberTürk TV), Osman Yakut (correspondent of Zaman newspaper), Ömer Özdemir (correspondent of Zaman newspaper), Ramazan Alkan (correspondent of Yeni Akit newspaper), Recai Morkoç (editor of Zaman newspaper), Sait Gürkan Tuzlu (Presidential correspondent of Cihan Agency), Serhat Şeftali (Antalya correspondent of Zaman newspaper), Seyid Kılıç (early correspondent of TRT), Şahin Alpay (early author of Zaman newspaper), Şeref Yılmaz (Irmak TV board chairman), Tuncer Çetinkaya (Antalya regional agent of Zaman newspaper), Ufuk Şanlı (early author of Vatan newspaper), Vahit Yazgan (early İzmir reigonal agent of Zaman newspaper), Yakup Çetin (early correspondent of Zaman newspaper), Yalçın Güler (TRT Erzurum correspondent), Yener Dönmez (owner of Habervaktim website), Yetkin Yıldız (editorial director of Aktif Haber website), Zafer Özsoy (Feza Broadcasting Company partner, CİHAN broadcasting technician).

Already apprehended ones within the framework of FETÖ/PDY (Fethullahist Terorist Organization/Parallel State Construct) folder/ on trial: Hidayet Karaca (head of Samanyolu Broadcasting Group).

“Use/ravage of Secret State Documents”/ on trial: Mehmet Baransu (author of Taraf newspaper).

KCK - PKK - DYG / Convicts: Ferhat Çiftçi (Azadiya Welat Antep representative - 22 years, 8 months), Hamit Dilbahar/Duman (Azadiya Welat author - 16 years), Kamuran Sunbat (DİHA Çukurova early correspondent - 11 years, 11 months), Kenan Karavil (Radyo Dünya Director - 19 years, 9 months), Nuri Yeşil (Azadiya Welat Tunceli representative - 1 year, 7 months), Seyithan Akyüz (Azadiya Welat Adana representative - 22 years, 6 months), Şahabettin Demir (DİHA Van correspondent - 4 years), Mikail Barut (editor of Özgür Halk magazine - 7 years 6 months), Yılmaz Kahraman (editor of Özgür Halk magazine - 10 years prisoning), Arafat Dayan (early responsible director of Demokratik Ulus - 5 years prisoning), İdris Sayılgan (DİHA correspondent – 1 year 8 months prisoning)

KCK - PKK - DYG organization membership/ those who are on trial: Nedim Türfent (DİHA Van correspondent – 8 years 9 months prisoning on appeal), Mehmet Güleş (DİHA Elazığ correspondent – 9 years 4 months prisoning on appeal), Cebrail Parıltılı (Anadolu Agency early Derik correspondent), Abdulkadir Turay (DİHA Mardin correspondent), Ziya Ataman (DİHA Van correspondent), Serkan Aydemir (Bitlis Aktüel newspaper correspondent), Şerife Oruç (DİHA correspondent), Ayhan Demir (Çaldıran News Agency grant holder), 

KCK - PKK - DYG organization membership/ on indiction: Sadık Demir (owner of Radyo Karacadağ), Mizgin Çay (Radyo Karacadağ correspondent), Salih Erbekler (Radyo Karacadağ correspondent), Çağdaş Erdoğan (photo-correspondent for international media), Kemal Özer (Evrensel newspaper Tunceli correspondent).

KCK-PKK-DYG membership and PKK propagandation / on indiction: Deniz Yücel (Die Welt newspaper correspondent).

KCK-PKK-DYG membership ve PKK propagandation / Convicts: Zehra Doğan (JİNHA editor – 2 years 9 months 22 days prisoning); Sezgin Kartal (editor-in-chief Socialist Solidarity magazine – 1 years 6 months prisoning), Meltem Okyay (DİHA correspondent - 2 years 4 months prisoning).

MLKP/ Convicts: Erdal Süsem (editor of Eylül Prison magazine – life sentence) ve Hatice Duman (owner and editor-in-chief of Atılım magazine – life sentence).

MLKP membership/ On indiction: İsminaz Temel (editor of ETHA Agency), Havva Cuştan (ETHA correspondent).

DHKP-C/Convicts: Mustafa Gök (Emek-Adalet magazine Ankara representative – life sentence).

Organization membership / Border violation/ on indiction: Aslı Ceren Aslan (editor-in-chief Özgür Gelecek).

Resistance/ Convicts: Erol Zavar (editor-in-chief of Odak magazine – life sentence).

Ergenekon Mersin/ Turkish Resistance Union Organization (TİBT) ve Internal Organization / Convicts: Mikdat Algül (Mezitli FM chief editor - 65 years prisoning).

TKEP/L / Convicts: Sami Tunca (editor-in-chief of Union of Struggle in the New Era Magazine)

FETÖ/ DHKP-C propagation / on trial: Ahmet Şık (Cumhuriyet newspaper).

“helping to the FETÖ/PKK” / on trial: Murat Sabuncu (editor-in-chief of Cumhuriyet newspaper, Akın Atalay (Executive President of Cumhuriyet Foundation).

“sedition to the people for armed rebellion” / Convicts: Murat Çapan (editor-in-chief of Nokta magazine).

“Organization membership” / Organization name not known/ on indiction: Kemal Demir (TV10 cameraman).

“Helping to organization” / organization name not known / on indiction: Emin Şakir (solyayin.com website editor)

(EÖ/APA/EC)