ETHA editors still held hostage

There were no releases in the case the ETHA editors are tried in. The journalists stood by the articles they wrote.

The first hearing for the case against 4 journalists including Etkin News Agency (ETHA) editors Pinar Gayip and Semiha Sahin was held today in the Istanbul Courthouse High Penal Court No.23 in Caglayan. Journalists gathered in front of the courthouse read a statement before the hearing which was attended by Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MPs Ahmet Sik and Saruhan Oluc.

“THOSE WHO WRITE THE TRUTH ARE IMPRISONED”

The press statement was read by ETHA Reporter Ebru Yigit, who said the government wants to create a monotone media by silencing diverse voices and imprisoning/firing journalists who write the truth. Yigit said there are 183 journalists in Turkey who have been imprisoned for writing the truth and producing news, according to international journalism organizations.

“THEY MUST BE FREE”

Yigit stressed that the press must be free and obstacles against the people’s right to information must be removed: “We demand the press be free and obstacles against the people’s right to information be removed. We know that the people are not free if the press is not free. We demand the release of our editor Semiha Sahin, our reporter Pinar Gayip and all arrested journalists. We demand the release of the workers of Ozgurlukcu Demokrasi newspaper and Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reporter Seda Taskin, who have hearings this week.”

“THE GOVERNMENT ATTACKS JOURNALISTS AS DECAY GROWS”

HDP MP Saruhan Oluc spoke afterwards and said the first sign of a government turning oppressive and authoritarian is the attempt to silence a country’s press: “As a government goes further into decay, as corruption spreads, as all principles of political ethics are trampled, as fascist practices increase, it wants to render the people talking about these, trying to inform the people about the issues unable to work. That is what is happening in Turkey. If a government starts trampling freedom of thought and expression, know that it does this to stop the world from finding out what it did. The more journalists are on trial in a country, the more there would be scandals and violations of democracy and human rights.”

DEMAND FOR RELEASE REJECTED

Lawyers spoke after the defenses were given and demanded the release of their clients. The court rejected the demand and ruled for the continuation of arrest for the 4 journalists, postponing the next hearing to December 5.