Jailed reporters appeal to journalist organisations
Jailed reporters appeal to journalist organisations
On 20 December 2011 over 40 journalists mainly working for Kurdish and left media outlets have been arrested by the police within the context of the so called "KCK" (Kurdish Communities Union) operation. Thirty five have been remanded in custody and are awaiting trial. They face charges for "terrorism".
Below is the appeal they sent out from prison to international journalist organizations.
"Dear colleagues,
We are writing this letter in the name of 35 journalists who have been imprisoned during the latest KCK operations. Needless to say, out appeal is also in the name of more than 100 journalists imprisoned in Turkey as of today. As you may already be aware, all the journalists in Turkey are under the threat of state's definition of "terror". Our colleagues and all of us are constantly accused of being involved in "terror" or "supporting the terror" or making the propaganda of it and therefore we are subject to criminal investigations. The news that we are following, the pictures that we are taken, our sources of information, the articles that we are writing are all evaluated within this concept of criminalization and accepted as evidence of crime. In addition, if you perform a critical journalism attitude it is inevitable that you will be potentially situated in this definition of "terrorist journalist".
Journalism is imprisoned
48 journalists throughout Turkey have been arrested on 20 December 2011 within this political context. 35 journalists out of 48 have been imprisoned stating that "they were performing journalism activities in the name of the press committee of KCK". The blame is again terrorism but the reason and ground of accusation is based on news, photographs of such news, professional communication and correspondences, international journeys for following the news. In a nutshell, the investigation is based on the journalism materials. They are bully during these investigations; they took cameras, computers and all the communication materials as if they were crime materials. They try to prove that we are members of the "terrorist organization" by doing so.
Firstly, we refuse to defend ourselves on such meaningless accusations based merely on our professional activities. It is obvious that it is not we blamed here but our journalism activities. The honor of journalism is essentially targeted. That's why it is not we who must make a defense but the ones who are executing this arbitrary, unlawful and unfair investigation. We are taking side on our journalism activities and we do not let someone to interrogate that. It is, in fact, a principal attitude to defend the honor of journalism and we are following the legacy of the journalists of free press who lost their lives.
Appeal for an objective stance
As you may all agree, defending the freedom of press is not only our responsibility but the duty of the journalism organizations as well. We are inviting journalism organisations to an objective stance. We are asking you to be a legal intervening party to the litigation procedure so that you may observe this case which is the principal case with respect to freedom of press. Your becoming intervening party will also reveal how "terrible journalism organization" we organized to commit "crime". This appeal reflects for us a call for defending journalism principles and ethic as well the principles of free press. But it is also an appeal to stop the blockage the alternative sources of information of society.
Dear colleagues, it is your decision. You may take side on your profession or you may overlook another important beat to our profession which is already beaten we salute you with our belief that you will take side on the journalism and its future.
Kind regards
Arrested Journalists of Free Press"
Below is the appeal they sent out from prison to international journalist organizations.
"Dear colleagues,
We are writing this letter in the name of 35 journalists who have been imprisoned during the latest KCK operations. Needless to say, out appeal is also in the name of more than 100 journalists imprisoned in Turkey as of today. As you may already be aware, all the journalists in Turkey are under the threat of state's definition of "terror". Our colleagues and all of us are constantly accused of being involved in "terror" or "supporting the terror" or making the propaganda of it and therefore we are subject to criminal investigations. The news that we are following, the pictures that we are taken, our sources of information, the articles that we are writing are all evaluated within this concept of criminalization and accepted as evidence of crime. In addition, if you perform a critical journalism attitude it is inevitable that you will be potentially situated in this definition of "terrorist journalist".
Journalism is imprisoned
48 journalists throughout Turkey have been arrested on 20 December 2011 within this political context. 35 journalists out of 48 have been imprisoned stating that "they were performing journalism activities in the name of the press committee of KCK". The blame is again terrorism but the reason and ground of accusation is based on news, photographs of such news, professional communication and correspondences, international journeys for following the news. In a nutshell, the investigation is based on the journalism materials. They are bully during these investigations; they took cameras, computers and all the communication materials as if they were crime materials. They try to prove that we are members of the "terrorist organization" by doing so.
Firstly, we refuse to defend ourselves on such meaningless accusations based merely on our professional activities. It is obvious that it is not we blamed here but our journalism activities. The honor of journalism is essentially targeted. That's why it is not we who must make a defense but the ones who are executing this arbitrary, unlawful and unfair investigation. We are taking side on our journalism activities and we do not let someone to interrogate that. It is, in fact, a principal attitude to defend the honor of journalism and we are following the legacy of the journalists of free press who lost their lives.
Appeal for an objective stance
As you may all agree, defending the freedom of press is not only our responsibility but the duty of the journalism organizations as well. We are inviting journalism organisations to an objective stance. We are asking you to be a legal intervening party to the litigation procedure so that you may observe this case which is the principal case with respect to freedom of press. Your becoming intervening party will also reveal how "terrible journalism organization" we organized to commit "crime". This appeal reflects for us a call for defending journalism principles and ethic as well the principles of free press. But it is also an appeal to stop the blockage the alternative sources of information of society.
Dear colleagues, it is your decision. You may take side on your profession or you may overlook another important beat to our profession which is already beaten we salute you with our belief that you will take side on the journalism and its future.
Kind regards
Arrested Journalists of Free Press"
