Journalist Soner Yalçın, executive of the Oda TV news portal, General Publications Director Barış Pehlivan and News Director Barış Terkoğlu were arrested on Friday (18 February). They had been kept in custody since 14 February in the scope of an investigation together with Editor Ayhan Bozkurt who was released after his interrogation. Yalçın, Pehlivan and Terkoğlu were brought to the Metris Prison in Istanbul.
Upon the expiry of the legal time in custody, Soner Yalçın and the three employees of Oda TV were taken to the Beşiktaş (Istanbul) Courthouse on Thursday (17 February). After a health check, the journalists gave their statements to the prosecutors.
The prosecution demanded to arrest executive Soner, General Publications Director Pehlivan and News Director Terkoğlu subsequent to the interrogation and transferred them to the Istanbul 12th High Criminal Court on Duty accordingly. The questioning at court took about four hours.
It was reported that the journalists were being asked about the Ergenekon and "Sledgehammer" trials, two major cases related to alleged conspiracies within the state and/or the military with the aim to topple the government. Apparently, they were also interrogated about news items regarding the government published on the website, about the connections of Oda TV to writer Nihat Genç and telephone conversations made with writer Yalçın Küçük, and un-detained defendant of the Ergenekon trial.
Accused of membership of a terrorist organization
After the journalists had given their statements, the court decided to arrest Yalçın, Pehlivan and Terkoğlu under allegations of "membership of a terrorist organization", "obtaining and publishing confidential documents related to the security of state" and "inciting the public to hatred and hostility".
At the disposition of prosecutor Zekeriya Öz, who is handling the Ergenekon investigation, the Organized Crimes Branch and the IT Branch Directorate searched the premises of the Oda TV news portal and the homes of the four journalists who were taken into custody thereupon on 14 February. Several documents and computers were confiscated in the course of the raid.
Media Association: It's a shame...
The Media Association emphasized to support democracy, variety of media and press freedom in a referring statement. The association announced, "We strongly disapprove of oppressing dissident opinions of journalism by legal means and by using a social reputation. We furthermore express our strong discontent about the alleged aiding and abetting of coup plans".
"It is an unacceptable application to launch investigations about journalists on the grounds of their professional activities or to bring them to court. If there are allegations as serious as the involvement in a junta and coup activities by exceeding the professional limits, one has to wait until the end of the legal procedures".
"Accusations regarding anti-democratic activities and the instigation of a coup d'état are a shame not only for journalism but for all professions", the Media Association criticized. (AS/EÖ/VK)
