RIGHTS - Bianet

RIGHTS

Page 225

Roj TV Officials Still Detained in Belgium

Roj TV Officials Still Detained in Belgium

The Belgium police may keep KONGRA-GEL Chair Kartal, Aydar and another six people arrested in last week's raids in detention until 9 March. Kurdish television channel Roj TV claims a loss of € 1.2 million due to the operations. Kurds in several European countries voiced their protest.

8 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Heavy Sentences for Three Journalists in South-East Turkey

Heavy Sentences for Three Journalists in South-East Turkey

Journalist Boğatekin received a 5 years, one month and seven days prison sentence for claiming prosecutor Ovacıklı's being close to religious leader Fethullah Gülen. He was furthermore deprived of his civil rights. Journalist Badur was handed down a TL 3,000 monetary fine.

8 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

TV Channel Fined for MP's Statement

TV Channel Fined for MP's Statement

In a programm on TV8 MP Genç accused Prime Minister Erdoğan and his Deputy Çiçek of corruption. The Radio and Television Supreme Council subjected the television channel to a warning penalty. The decision caused controversy within the Supreme Council.

5 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Prison Sentence for Posting Reader Comment?

Prison Sentence for Posting Reader Comment?

Barış Yarkadaş, publication director of the Gerçek Gündem internet site, stands trial for a reader comment which allegedly insulted President Gül. Yarkadaş said that the site does not post comments concerning the president any more. RSF is following the case up.

5 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Raid on Kurdish Roj TV in Belgium

Raid on Kurdish Roj TV in Belgium

More than ten people were arrested in the course of a police raid in the Roj television studios on Thursday morning in Belgium. The police organized simultaneous raids at 25 places all over Belgium which are supposed to be connected to the PKK.

5 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Edoğan's 'Warning' to Columnists Creates a Growing Stir

Edoğan's 'Warning' to Columnists Creates a Growing Stir

DSP MP Süleyman Yağız addressed Prime Minister Erdoğan with a letter of inquiry. The Prime Minister's 'warning' towards columnists caused strong reactions among journalists. Yağız asked Erdoğan critical questions about his statement and his attitude on press freedom.

4 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Journalist Boğatekin Faces 10,000 TL Compensation Claim

Journalist Boğatekin Faces 10,000 TL Compensation Claim

AKP MP Mir Mehmet Fırat filed a case against Gerger Fırat newspaper owner Hacı Boğatekin with a 10,000 TL compensation claim.

3 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Columnists Protest Prime Minister

Columnists Protest Prime Minister

Turkish columnists published a joint statement referring to Prime Minister Erdoğan's call to "control newspaper bosses and columnists". 47 columnists signed the statement of protest until now.

3 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

20,000 TL Fine for TRT due to Defamation of Journalist Dink

20,000 TL Fine for TRT due to Defamation of Journalist Dink

An Istanbul court sentenced TRT, Bey Productions Company and prime suspect of the Maraş massacre Ökkeş Şendiler to a 20,000 TL fine in compensation for claiming killed Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink responsible for the massacre in Maraş.

3 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Court Rejected Military Prosecutor's Demand for Çiçek's Detention

Court Rejected Military Prosecutor's Demand for Çiçek's Detention

The General Staff Presidency announced that evidence has been obtained which proves the "Action Plan against Reactionary Forces" real. In the announcement it is said that "the decision against prosecution taken by the General Staff Military Prosecutor was revoked".

2 March 2010 Burçin Belge

Another Two Military Officers Detained

Another Two Military Officers Detained

With the two latest arrests of Colonel Özçoban from Konya and Lieutenant Colonel Kelleli a total of 35 suspects have been taken into detention regarding the "Balyoz" coup plans. Özçoban stands accused of being involved into the plan of bombing the Beyazit Mosque in Istanbul.

2 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Death Threat for Journalist Pekgöz

Death Threat for Journalist Pekgöz

News chief of Günlük newspaper Ramazan Pekgöz was threatened by a person on the street who said, "We finished Hrant Dink off. We will do the same to you". After Pekgöz complained at the police station in Taksim/Istanbul, the person who threatened him was arrested.

2 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

"Lift Headscarf Ban!"

"Lift Headscarf Ban!"

The Women's Rights Association AKDER launched a signature campaign to remove the headscarf ban, which was enforced on 28 February 1997. The Association called everybody to stand up against insult of women because of their clothes, usurpation of rights and exposure to rape.

1 March 2010 Burçin Belge

Erdoğan Accused Media of Provocation

Erdoğan Accused Media of Provocation

Prime Minister Erdoğan blamed the media and the opposition to "set a place in an uproar" in a meeting with Provincial Chairman. He said that columnists are turning the country upside down and put a strain on the country.

1 March 2010 Erol Önderoğlu,Çiçek Tahaoğlu

Publisher Adanır in Prison until 6 May

Publisher Adanır in Prison until 6 May

Bedri Adanır has been in detention since 5 January and faces a prison sentence of 31 years for publishing the defence of PKK leader Öcalan, owning banned books and praising the PKK leader.

26 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Hrant Dink Report Criticised as "Superficial"

Hrant Dink Report Criticised as "Superficial"

The Prime Ministerial Review Committee has evaluated a report by the Ministry of the Interior on the murder of journalist Hrant Dink as "superficial".

26 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

"Sometimes the Wet Burns with the Dry"

"Sometimes the Wet Burns with the Dry"

Thirteen of the people on trial in the "Revolutionary Headquarters" case heard the name of the organisation for the first time when they were taken into custody. When the police arrested Duruoğlu and Seven, they used the above expression, meaning that sometimes the innocent get caught up as well.

25 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

A Seven Year Wait for Native Language Broadcasting

A Seven Year Wait for Native Language Broadcasting

The Radio and Television Supreme Council has announced that 14 radio stations and TV channels have been given permission to broadcast in Kirmanci, Zaza and Arabic. Previous restrictions have been lifted.

25 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

High-Ranking Military Officers Arrested in Balyoz Investigation

High-Ranking Military Officers Arrested in Balyoz Investigation

Five admirals, three of them retired, and two retired colonels have been arrested related to the Balyoz coup plan. Six people were released. Retired commanders Fırtına and Örnek were taken to the courthouse. The Prime Minister held a meeting with the ministers in the evening.

24 February 2010 Tolga Korkut

First Hearing of "Revolutionary Headquarters" Trial

First Hearing of "Revolutionary Headquarters" Trial

Ten defendants were released pending trial due to lack of evidence for the alleged membership of the "Revolutionary Headquarters" terror organization. Lawyer Kanar requested to exclude illegally obtained evidence. The defendants denied the accusations put up against them.

24 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu,Burçin Belge,Erhan Üstündağ

Torture Case of Killed Activist Çeber Postponed

Torture Case of Killed Activist Çeber Postponed

The prosecutor excused his absense in yesterday's hearing of the trial regarding Engin Çeber who was killed by torture in custody. The case was postponed ot 12 April. The case launched against Çeber's friends who were also exposed to torture continues today.

23 February 2010 Tolga Korkut

16 Military Officials Arrested

16 Military Officials Arrested

Six retired commanders and a further ten colonels were arrested in relation with the "Balyoz Coup Plan". Prime Minister Erdoğan said the incident is now taken under "legal procedures"; Chief of Staff Başbuğ did not comment but cancelled his visit to Egypt.

23 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Kurdish Journalist Faces 525-Year Prison Sentence

Kurdish Journalist Faces 525-Year Prison Sentence

The Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court Prosecutor demanded a 105-fold prison sentence for Vedat Kurşun, former chief editor of Kurdish Azadiya Welat newspaper, under charges of "spreading propaganda for a terror organization".

23 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Killed for Singing a Kurdish Folk Song

Killed for Singing a Kurdish Folk Song

Young man Emrah Gezer was killed because of a Kurdish folk song. Kurdish politicians and artists experience backlashes for using the Kurdish language despite the easing of regulations in the context of the democratic initiative.

22 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Kurdish Politician Tuğluk Acquitted - Öcalan's Lawyers Sentenced

Kurdish Politician Tuğluk Acquitted - Öcalan's Lawyers Sentenced

Former DTP MP Tuğluk was acquitted of charges of "spreading propaganda for an illegal organization". At the same time, PKK leader Öcalan's lawyers Dündar and Aydınkaya received a 10 months prison sentence, which was suspended on probation.

22 February 2010 Bawer Çakır

Record of 'Crimes of Thought' in 2009

The Turkish book "Freedom of Thought 2009" was published as part of the Initiative against Crime of Thought. The book includes punishments and trials based on thoughts, banned publications and events and legal regulations for 'crimes of thought'.

19 February 2010 Çiçek Tahaoğlu

Turkish Radio Station Broadcasts in Four Languages

Turkish Radio Station Broadcasts in Four Languages

Radio Ses in Mersin broadcasts programs in the Kurdish Kırmançi dialect, in Zaza spoken by people in eastern Anatolia and in Arabic. Broadcasting director Bilgiç: "The number of listeners increased. RTÜK approved "broadcasting in the mother tongue".

19 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Radikal Newspaper Journalists on Trial

Radikal Newspaper Journalists on Trial

Co-chair of closed DTP Ayna filed a complaint with chief editor Çakkalkurt and journalist Başaran from Radikal newspaper under charges of "spreading propaganda for an illegal organization" based on the sentence "Our base told us to go to the mountains".

18 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

PEN Supports Tried Journalist Şener

PEN Supports Tried Journalist Şener

In the case against journalist Şener based on his book about the Hrant Dink murder, the court now wants to ascertain whether Şener published "classified documents". Şener: "No journalist applies to court before obtaining a confidential document".

18 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Chief Prosecutor Arrested, Supreme Court Investigates

Chief Prosecutor Arrested, Supreme Court Investigates

Chief Prosecutor Cihaner from Erzincan was arrested in the scope of the Ergenekon investigation. The Supreme Court launched an investigation. HSYK revoked special authorities of the prosecutors who interrogated and arrested Cihaner.

18 February 2010 Tolga Korkut,Erhan Üstündağ

ECHR Convicted Turkish Censorship of 'Obscenity'

ECHR Convicted Turkish Censorship of 'Obscenity'

The European Court of Human Rights decided that the punishment of publisher Akdaş by reason of the book "The Eleven Thousand Rods" by Apollinaire was a disregard of freedom of expression. The book is considered as a work belonging to the European literature heritage.

17 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu

Two Journalists at Court for Pursuing Dink Murder

Two Journalists at Court for Pursuing Dink Murder

The case against Vatan newspaper journalist Kemal Göktaş on the grounds of his book "The Hrant Dink Muder: Media, Judiciary, State" has started. The prosecutor requested time to review whether the case was opened within the prescription period of four months.

17 February 2010 Erol Önderoğlu