I wish Emin was English
I wish Emin was English
SPOT: Azadiya Welat Gazetesi Editor in Chief M. Emin Yýldýrým was arrested without knowing what he was accused of. He neither gave a statement nor defended himself after stating at prosecution’s office and court that he wanted to defend himself in Kurdish.
Real interesting things are going on in Turkey which holds the world record of journalists in prison. While the mass arrest of 36 journalists is an unprecedented case, an even an example of these cases could be enough to show the critical point reached in terms of the freedom of expression and thought.
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Here is how Emin recounts what happened: “When I said that I wanted to defend myself in Kurdish, the prosecutor and the judge said ‘okey’ and didn’t even ask me anything about the accusations against me. Okey, there is no permission for Kurdish defense but they could at least read the accusations.” This is just an example of “extrajudicial executions”…
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This event took place only one day after deputy prime minister Bülent Arýnç promised to “give Kurds all their rights”. As you know, defense in Kurdish has been a subject of crisis at courts for some time. However, the real problem is lived in respect to collective rights where more and more violations of rights and freedoms are being faced with each passing day.
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“President of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez stated that sermons will be performed in English at Istanbul’s mosques, places visited by tourists. (Zaman Paper, 05.01. 2012)
This is one another appealing “initiative”. While Kurds are always portrayed as a target on the grounds of demanding Kurdish sermon and preach, it seems that “the solution” has been found in English.
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I asked my friend Emin who now share the same ward with me “I wish you had defended yourself in English. Would they truly refuse to listen to you though?”
"I don’t think" said Emin and added; "I am sure they would listen to me through a translator.”
I wish Emin was English!.. He could have at least learnt the accusations against him!
***
In the meantime, Emin also reproaches the Kurdish press and the trial lawyers; “They say that I defended myself in Kurdish but I didn’t say a single word. It is just that my lawyer was able to say that I wanted to speak in Kurdish.”
This point is important because defending yourself is a different thing from being arrested without being allowed to defend yourself and without knowing what you are accused of… No matter how you slice it, there is an utterly different illegal behaviour and the violation of right.
It looks like nobody has been able to understand this situation. There are so many illegal things going on that is different to say which one you should bother about…
Nuri Fýrat is one of the Kurdish journalists arrested on 20 December 2011. He is held at Kandýra F-Type Prison No-1/ Kocaeli-Türkiye
Real interesting things are going on in Turkey which holds the world record of journalists in prison. While the mass arrest of 36 journalists is an unprecedented case, an even an example of these cases could be enough to show the critical point reached in terms of the freedom of expression and thought.
***
Here is how Emin recounts what happened: “When I said that I wanted to defend myself in Kurdish, the prosecutor and the judge said ‘okey’ and didn’t even ask me anything about the accusations against me. Okey, there is no permission for Kurdish defense but they could at least read the accusations.” This is just an example of “extrajudicial executions”…
***
This event took place only one day after deputy prime minister Bülent Arýnç promised to “give Kurds all their rights”. As you know, defense in Kurdish has been a subject of crisis at courts for some time. However, the real problem is lived in respect to collective rights where more and more violations of rights and freedoms are being faced with each passing day.
***
“President of Religious Affairs Mehmet Görmez stated that sermons will be performed in English at Istanbul’s mosques, places visited by tourists. (Zaman Paper, 05.01. 2012)
This is one another appealing “initiative”. While Kurds are always portrayed as a target on the grounds of demanding Kurdish sermon and preach, it seems that “the solution” has been found in English.
***
I asked my friend Emin who now share the same ward with me “I wish you had defended yourself in English. Would they truly refuse to listen to you though?”
"I don’t think" said Emin and added; "I am sure they would listen to me through a translator.”
I wish Emin was English!.. He could have at least learnt the accusations against him!
***
In the meantime, Emin also reproaches the Kurdish press and the trial lawyers; “They say that I defended myself in Kurdish but I didn’t say a single word. It is just that my lawyer was able to say that I wanted to speak in Kurdish.”
This point is important because defending yourself is a different thing from being arrested without being allowed to defend yourself and without knowing what you are accused of… No matter how you slice it, there is an utterly different illegal behaviour and the violation of right.
It looks like nobody has been able to understand this situation. There are so many illegal things going on that is different to say which one you should bother about…
Nuri Fýrat is one of the Kurdish journalists arrested on 20 December 2011. He is held at Kandýra F-Type Prison No-1/ Kocaeli-Türkiye
