Press In Arrest: 23 Journalists Faced up to 408 Years in Prison in April

* Photo: Twitter

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Formed by a group of voluntary journalists and documenting lawsuits against journalists in Turkey for almost two years, the Press in Arrest initiative released its April 2020 Press Freedom Report on May 1.

Indicating that Turkey has risen to 154th position in the RSF Press Freedom Index among 180 countries, the initiative has noted that this recent rise from the 157th to 154th position "may be explained by the deterioration of the conditions in other countries, and the release of some detained journalists in Turkey with the recently enacted Judiciary Reform Package."

Some highlights from the report are as follows:

* Hearings were postponed due to the measures taken against novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. In April, 23 journalists were on trial in 17 lawsuit cases, facing in total between at least 171 years 11 months and up to 408 years 10 months 15 days in prison.

'Journalists now face even higher barriers'

* Legal amendment on criminal enforcement has come into force, half of jailed journalists have remained out of its scope.

The bill has been ratified by the Parliament of Turkey and enacted upon its approval by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

However, the amendments, ostensibly drafted "in accordance with the sensitivities of the public conscience" have left at least 54 out of nearly 100 journalists in jail uncovered in its scope.

Moreover, with certain provisions of the so-called reform, journalism has further been criminalized, and journalists now face even higher barriers...

'Dail Cumhuriyet under pressure'

* Cumhuriyet newspaper is under pressure: 2 lawsuits were filed against 3 journalists and 4 journalists were investigated.

Two separate lawsuits were filed against Cumhuriyet newspaper correspondents Hazal Ocak, Alican Uludağ and Olcay Büyüktaş Akça. Furthermore, journalists Olcay Büyükbaş Akça, İpek Özbey, Hazal Ocak and Vedat Arık were summoned to testify under a separate investigation.

* Journalists were arrested for reporting on the funeral of a National Intelligence Organization (MİT) officer.

A news story by Sabah newspaper disclosed that an indictment was being drafted against 7 journalists, 6 of whom are detained, as well as a municipality employee.

Although the reports confirmed that the prosecutor's office completed the indictment and forwarded it to the court, it has yet to be confirmed if the court has accepted the indictment or any date has been set for a hearing.

'News associated with terrorism'

In April, numerous news stories were associated with "terrorism". Reporters were obliged to testify and defend against charges of 'terrorism'. Journalists were kept in prison without indictment, thus being sentenced in advance.

They were also declared to be "criminals" in advance with news stories on indictments which were later rejected by the courts. The executive branch continued to pressurize journalists as well as independent judges and the judiciary system. (RT/SD)