Weekly Demokratik Vatan closed for one month
Weekly Demokratik Vatan closed for one month
Istanbul 9th High Criminal Court sentenced weekly paper Demokratik Vatan (Democratic Land) to one-month closure for allegedly “spreading propaganda for an illegal organization”.
Kurdish publications continue to be subject to bans and closures. The most recent attempt was made by Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court which ordered closure of daily paper Özgür Gündem (Free Agenda) in late March. However, the court’s order was removed following the protest organized against the decision by readers and supporters of the paper as well as other free press journalists.
This time, the 9th High Criminal Court of Istanbul ordered the closure of Demokratik Vatan paper for one month, arguing that the paper spread propaganda for an illegal organization in the news published on 14-20 May with the titles “our martyrs are the demonstration of our freedom fight”, “the month of martyrs” and “the release of HPG guerrillas who have recently lost their lives”.
In accordance with the Anti-Terror Law, the court ordered closure on the grounds of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) statements published on four separate pages of the paper. The court board also ordered collection and seizure of the seventh issue of the paper.
On the basis of the mentioned reasons, the Public Prosecutor launched an investigation against the paper’s Editor in Chief, Arafat Dayan.
Kurdish publications continue to be subject to bans and closures. The most recent attempt was made by Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court which ordered closure of daily paper Özgür Gündem (Free Agenda) in late March. However, the court’s order was removed following the protest organized against the decision by readers and supporters of the paper as well as other free press journalists.
This time, the 9th High Criminal Court of Istanbul ordered the closure of Demokratik Vatan paper for one month, arguing that the paper spread propaganda for an illegal organization in the news published on 14-20 May with the titles “our martyrs are the demonstration of our freedom fight”, “the month of martyrs” and “the release of HPG guerrillas who have recently lost their lives”.
In accordance with the Anti-Terror Law, the court ordered closure on the grounds of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) statements published on four separate pages of the paper. The court board also ordered collection and seizure of the seventh issue of the paper.
On the basis of the mentioned reasons, the Public Prosecutor launched an investigation against the paper’s Editor in Chief, Arafat Dayan.
