Expression Interrupted

Journalists and academics bear the brunt of the massive crackdown on freedom of expression in Turkey. Scores of them are currently subject to criminal investigations or behind bars. This website is dedicated to tracking the legal process against them.

Five journalists detained in 4 cities

Five journalists detained in 4 cities

As part of a Diyarbakır-based investigation, journalist Fırat Can Arslan has been imprisoned pending trial for “marking those involved in the fights against terrorism as targets” whereas four others have been released pending trial

T24 editor Sibel Yükler, Mezopotamya Agency reporters Delal Akyüz and Fırat Can Arslan as well as bianet editor Evrim Kepenek were detained in police raids on their homes on 25 July 2023 as part of an investigation being run by the Diyarbakır Chief Prosecutor’s Office. Journalist Evrim Deniz was called to the police station to give a statement as part of the same investigation.

The police raided Akyüz’s home in İzmir, searched the residence and detained the journalist, who was taken to the İzmir Province Directorate of Security. At around the same time, the police raided the Ankara residences of journalists Yükler and Arslan. Following the searching of their homes the journalists were detained and taken to the Ankara Directorate of Security.

The police arrived at the İstanbul home of bianet editor Kepenek around noon and wanted to search the residence. Upon objections by Kepenek and her friends who were present, the neighbourhood mukhtar was called to be present during the search. The police did not wait for the lawyers to arrive and searched the home while recording on camera when the mukhtar arrived. Following the house search that lasted for an hour, Kepenek was detained and put in plastic handcuffs. After a health check, Kepenek was taken to the Taksim Şehit Haşim Usta Police Station.

Phones and computers of journalists were confiscated during the house searches.

Deniz, who lives in Diyarbakır, was called to the police station to give a statement as part of the same investigation. Deniz was detained at the Huzur Police Station, where she went to give a statement accompanied by her attorney.

Journalists were asked of their “motivation” for reweeting

The journalists who were detained on grounds of sharing the news of the reassignment of the prosecutor who prepared the indictment in the case against 18 journalists arrested in Diyarbakır on 16 June 2022 and the prosecutor’s spouse, who was a member of the panel of judges in the same case, on Twitter are being charged with for “marking those involved in the fights against terrorism as targets.”

The journalists in their police questioning were asked of their motivation for reweeting the post subject to investigation. Following the questioning, the four journalists were referred to the courthouse in the provinces where they were detained. Journalists Yükler, Akyüz and Deniz were sent to the judgeship to be released under judicial control measures with no further questioning. Arslan, on the other hand, was send to the judgeship to be placed in pre-trial detention for “marking those involved in the fight against terrorism as targets.”

The journalists whose statements were received via judicial videoconferencing system at the Diyarbakır 2nd Criminal Judgeship of Peace were released with an international travel ban and obligation to check in police station once a month.

Journalist Arslan, who stated that “I simply shared the legal decision issued by the Council of Judges and Prosecutors with no comment. I did not have any intention or purpose to mark someone as a target” in his judgeship questioning, was imprisoned pending trial on the grounds that there was the risk of him “fleeing” and judicial control measures may not be sufficient to eliminate the risk. Arslan was detained in Kırşehir in June 2022 and was released on the condition that he would check in a police station once in every two weeks.

Gazeteci Kepenek ise bir gün gözaltında tutulduktan sonra 26 Temmuz 2023 günü İstanbul Adalet Sarayına sevk edildi. Kepenek, Diyarbakır 1. Sulh Ceza Hakimliğinde SEGBİS aracılığıyla verdiği ifadesinin ardından yurt dışına çıkış yasağı ve ayda bir imza vermek şeklindeki adli kontrol tedbiriyle serbest bırakıldı.

After being kept in custody for one day, journalist Kepenek was referred o the İstanbul Courthouse on 26 July 2023. Kepenek was released with international travel ban and obligation to check in police station once in a month after she gave her statement via the judicial videoconferencing system at the Diyarbakır 1st Criminal Judgeship of Peace.

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