3 Freedom of Expression Organizations Pen Letter for Arrested Journalist Türfent
Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish
Three international freedom of expression organizations have penned a letter and launched a petition for journalist Nedim Türfent, who was sentenced to 8 years and 9 months in prison and has been behind bars for 1,000 days.
The letter written by International Press Institute (IPI), PEN International and Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) said, "We write to you today to tell you that you are not alone. We are with you and united our voices to demand your release."
The letter will be delivered to Nedim Türfent today (February 5), the thousandth day of his arrest.
| To our friend and colleague Nedim Türfent
As writers, journalists, publishers, artists and activists, we have denounced the continuous deterioration of freedom of expression in Turkey. For over two years, we have witnessed the Turkish authorities pursue an unprecedented crackdown against independent voices, severely restricting fundamental rights and freedoms. Although the state of emergency has now officially been lifted, Turkey remains the largest jailer of journalists in the world. Amongst those unfairly imprisoned is you, Nedim. Today you have spent 1000 days behind bars. 1000 days trapped in a prison cell for simply being a journalist. Prior to your arrest in May 2016, you were covering Turkish military operations in southeast Turkey. For this, you paid a heavy price. Targeted with systematic online harassment campaigns, you received death threats online and were threatened by the security services unless you left the area, yet you refused. You stayed. Charged with terrorism offences, you were kept in solitary confinement for nearly two years, in harrowing conditions in your four-meter-long prison cell, where you were denied access to TV, radio, books and newspapers and forced to read 'the back of detergent boxes' to pass time. When your trial opened, you were repeatedly denied the right to be physically present in court and instead had to testify via videoconference, experiencing severe connection and interpretation issues when you tried to give evidence in your native language of Kurmanji Kurdish. Out of 20 witnesses called to testify against you, 19 retracted their statements, saying they had been extracted under torture. Despite such clear evidence of flagrant fair-trial violations, you were sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison in December 2017. Yet you stayed strong in the face of injustice. You took out a piece of paper, a pen, and started composing poetry. You would keep writing. You would not be silenced. Today, we are writing to let you know that you are not alone. We stand alongside you and unite our voices to call for your immediate and unconditional release. We will continue to fight for the rights of journalists and writers – in Turkey and around the world – to be able to write freely, and for all those jailed for peacefully expressing their views to be free. Hold strong, dear friend. |
What happened?
Nedim Türfent was detained at a checkpoint at the entrance of the Van province on May 12, 2016. The court arrested him for "being a member of a terrorist organization" on May 13, 2016.
At the time, posts threatening Türfent were shared on social media.
From the indictment
Türfent was charged with "being a member of a terrorist organization" and "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" in the indictment which was filed by the Hakkari Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and accepted by the Hakkari 2nd Heavy Penal Court.
The Prosecutor's Office mentioned Türfent's meetings and interviews with the YPS (Civil Defense Units) as a journalist as elements of a crime. The indictment included the statements on Türfent by 20 people, who deposed at the security directorate as "witnesses" and Türfent's identification by photographs.
Those people said in their statements that Türfent was doing journalism in Hakkari province, he was a reporter for the DİHA (Dicle News Agency), he was shooting with his camera and video camera. They claimed that Türfent was "helping the organization" with the stories he wrote and the images he shot.
Being an "organization member" by doing journalism
Claiming that Türfent has contacts with the members of the organization, is a member of the youth branch of the organization, and acts upon orders by the organization, The Prosecutor's Office alleged that Türfent is "a member of an armed organization."
The indictment alleged that Türfent was "propagandizing for the organization" with his posts on social media.
The court gave its verdict on December 15, 2017, sentencing Türfent to 8 years and 9 months in prison for "being a member of the organization." Türfent had been imprisoned for 19 months when the verdict was announced. (HA/VK)