Azadiya Welat’s chief editor and licensee Emine Demir, former chief editor and licensee of Azadiya Welat, Ozan Kýlýç and former chief editor and licensee of Heviya Jine magazine Gurbet Çakar were sentenced the other day to 47 years in prison in total because of the news they have published. The Journalist Associations of Turkey have criticized the heavy sentences.

Ahmet Abakay, President of Contemporary Reporters’ Association (ÇGD), said in a speech he made at the meeting to protest the penalties: “These punishments are nothing but fascism. The government is running a TV channel in Kurdish but not allowing any one to speak, broadcast or publish in Kurdish. This is best known political play which makes life unbearable for Kurdish people as well as Kurdish journalist. Total imprisonment for Kurdish reporters rose to 313 years including Vedat Kurþun’s 166 years punishment which is extremely shameful.”

Reporting on the comment by Oktay Huduti, General Secretary of Press Council, DIHA news agency underlined that he said: “The government has to take some action to change this shameful situation in Turkey. No reporters shouldn’t be brought to courts because of what they’ve written or arrested. These laws against freedom of thought need to be changed as soon as possible.”