Responding to an official inquiry by CHP İstanbul deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu, Finance Ministry said that there are 26 jailed journalists in Turkey as of June 17, 2013.
However, bianet’s latest report on media monitoring revealed that there are at least 66 journalists and 27 publishers behind bars as of July 24, 2013.
Tanrıkulu’s official inquiry originated from a case between Finance Ministry’s Financial Crimes Investigation Council (MASAK) and Sözcü Gazetesi owner Burak Akbay and journalists Emin Çölaşan, Barış Yarkadaş ve Orhan Bursalı as well as former minister Rıfat Serdaroğlu. MASAK sued the defendants over the coverage of MASAK, asking for 10,000 liras compensation for non-pecuniary damages.
The official inquiry addressed to PM Erdogan was as follows:
* Does the aforementioned case align with the freedom of thought?
* What is the reason for prosecution?
* What is the exact number of jailed journalists in Turkey between 2010 and 2012? What are their full names?
* What is the exact number of journalists who faced prosecution for damages between 2010 and 2012? What are their full names? How was damage compensation used?
The official inquiry was responded by Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek who cited a statement on Justice Ministry’s website. Dated on November 7, 2012, the statement was drafted in order to response a report from CPJ on the exact number of journalists in Turkey.
“The number of jailed -convicted or charged - journalists are as follows: 24 as of December 2010, 25 as of December 2011, 33 as of December 2012 and 26 as of June 17, 2013. These individuals were jailed for charges related to terrorism and organized crime. Yet, the number is not clear,” it said.
The inquiry response also cited that the exact number of journalists who faced non-pecuniary damage prosecution remained unclear.
It also referred to No 4721 Turkish Civil Code Article 24 and No 6098 Turkish Debts Law Article 58. (EA/BM)
* Click here to read the original article in Turkish.
