Turkish Cypriot Journalists Arrested

Sener Levent, the director of the Afrika newspaper published in TRNC, and writer Memduh Ener, were arrested and sent to prison because of an article called Who is the Biggest Traitor? Cypriot journalists union criticized the arrests.

Erol Önderoğlu

Sener Levent, the director of the "Afrika" (Africa) ewspaper published in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (KKTC) nd writer Memduh Ener, ere arrested after their trial Thursday, August 8, and sent to prison. Cypriot journalists' nion made a statement to criticize the arrests.

Two journalists are in prison

On August 8, a Nicosia court handed out 6 months of prison sentences to Sener Levent, the director of the "Afrika" newspaper and its 70-year old writer Memduh Ener. The two journalists were arrested and sent to prison after the hearing.

They were charged with "insult" for an article called "Who is the Biggest Traitor?" which got published in the "Avrupa" (Europe) newspaper on July 29, 1999.

The union criticized the arrests

The Cypriot journalists' union made a statement to criticize the arrests

It was Avrupa, now it's Afrika

"Avrupa" newspaper faced a lot of pressure in its last years. Its printing office was set on fire and its writers were sent to prison. On these incidents, the newspaper changed its name and ironically took on the name, "Afrika" (BB/EA/NM)

Origin

BÄ°A News Center

Erol Önderoğlu

[email protected]

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A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without...

A graduate of the French Language and Literature Department at İstanbul University. He has served as the Turkey representative for the international organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF), where he began as a reporter in 1996. Since 1999, he has worked at bianet, a project of the IPS Communication Foundation, as the coordinator of the Legal Support Desk, editor for freedom of expression, and editor-in-chief. He has authored more than 4,800 signed news articles and opinion pieces. He has also written for Bizim Gazete and the journal Güncel Hukuk. He currently prepares the Media Monitoring Reports at bianet.