Access to large number of news sites, accounts blocked; trial of 11 journalists detained in Ankara to begin in May; RTÜK fines 3 stations over quake coverage; journalists report obstructions, harassments, threats

 

Access to Ekşi Sözlük blocked by court order

 

Access to Ekşi Sözlük, one of the largest online communities in Turkey, was blocked as per a decision by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) on 21 February. The decision was approved by the Ankara 4th Criminal Judgeship of Peace on 22 February.

 

A day later, Ekşi Sözlük executives released a written statement, noting that the decision had been taken by a writ of the Security Affairs General Directorate of the Presidency’s Administrative Affairs Department as per Article 8/a of the Law no. 5651 but no content had been cited as justification for the decision. According to the court order, access to the entire website was blocked because “authors of Ekşi Sözlük misinformed and attempted to mislead the society; even though the Ekşi Sözlük management has complied with court orders banning access to specific pages, the public order have gotten disrupted as a result of the society’s inability to access correct information in the meantime; false information has been disseminated, especially regarding the military and the state institutions in the aftermath of the earthquake; there have been attempts to manipulate the society and portray the state as incapacitated; there have been entries intended to create disorder among societal groups; and the website administration has not given the necessary reaction to false and defamatory content, failed to implement internal checks and prevent harmful entries.”

 

Access to 340 URLs, websites blocked

 

The Ankara 4th Criminal Judgeship of Peace, the same court that ordered on 22 February that access to Ekşi Sözlük be blocked, also ruled on the same day to ban 340 URLs and websites, including the entire websites of Rudaw news portal and the Avesta Publishing. The court order was issued upon a request to that effect filed by the Police General Directorate.

Among the content banned by the court order were some pages of the personal website of Dutch journalist Frederike Geerdink, who lived for a while in Diyarbakır, and Demokratik Modernite journal.

 

In its decision, the Ankara Criminal Judgeship of Peace maintained that the blocked URLs and websites included content that “spread terrorism propaganda” and “attempted to justify the actions of the terrorist organization.” The decision went on stating that “the websites and URLs in question were instrumentalized by the PKK/KCK terrorist organization with the aim of causing panic in the society; portraying the state as incapacitated and damaging the society’s trust in state institutions.”

 

In addition to the ban on URLs and websites, Twitter accounts of Kurdish Xwebûn newspaper and Jin News Agency (JİNHA) have also been suspended by Twitter upon requests from Turkish authorities.

 

Trial of 11 journalists arrested in October to begin in May

 

Eleven journalists from the pro-Kurdish news outlets Mezopotamya News Agency and JinNews, who were arrested in police raids in October 2022, will go on trial on terrorism charges in May.

 

The journalists, nine of whom have been in pre-trial detention since October, will appear before the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court at the first hearing on 16 May 2023. The journalists are charged with “membership in a terrorist organization,” according to the indictment against them.

The 210-page indictment, which was accepted by the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court, consists largely of excerpts from 149 news reports published by Mezopotamya News Agency, which is accused in the document of spreading propaganda for the PKK.

 

The 11 journalists were arrested in house raids on 25 October 2022 as part of an investigation ordered by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Of the arrested journalists, Mezopotamya agency’s Managing Editor Diren Yurtsever, its reporters Berivan Altan, Ceylan Şahinli, Deniz Nazlım, Selman Güzelyüz, Emrullah Acar as well as JinNews reporters Habibe Eren and Öznür Değer were imprisoned pending trial and sent to Sincan Prison on 29 October 2022. Mezopotamya reporter Zemo Ağgöz, who had a 45-day-old baby when she was arrested, was put under house arrest while former Mezopotamya intern Mehmet Günhan was released under judicial control measures. Ağgöz was subsequently released from the house arrest under judicial control measures after an objection had been filed against the decision.

 

RTÜK fines 3 stations over critical quake coverage

 

The Radio and Television Supreme Council’s (RTÜK) has issued administrative fines and broadcasting ban against pro-opposition broadcasters Halk TV, Tele 1 and Fox TV over their earthquake coverage, İlhan Taşcı, a member of RTÜK from the opposition People’s Republic Party (CHP), said.

 

RTÜK issued the fines against the three networks despite objections from its opposition members, including Taşcı, at its meeting on 22 February 2023. Taşcı said the content subject to penalties consisted solely of news reports and commentary concerning the earthquakes of 6 February, which killed more than 40,000 people in Turkey’s 11 southeastern provinces.

 

Meanwhile, the Ankara Regional Administrative Court has reversed a lower court decision that had suspended a three-day broadcast ban issued by RTÜK on Tele 1. As per the decision, Tele 1 was silenced for three days from 23 to 25 February.

 

The RTÜK penalty was due to on-air comments by opposition lawmaker Sera Kadıgil, who called the Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet) a “tool for political Islam.” Tele 1 filed an appeal against the decision at an administrative court, which issued a stay of execution against the RTÜK decision, but RTÜK took the lower court’s decision to the Ankara Regional Administrative Court demanding its reversal.

 

Journalism in quake zone: Journalists report obstructions, harassments, threats

 

Halk TV reporter Ferit Demir faced an assault attempt by an unidentified person holding in his hand a hammer while he was on live broadcast in Turkey’s eastern province of Malatya, one of the 11 provinces affected by the devastating earthquakes, on 23 February.

 

Demir said he was reporting live when a man driving a pick-up truck stopped the vehicle and started yelling at the Halk TV crew, saying they were lying about the government’s relief efforts. “He then grabbed a hammer and walked towards us. He started threatening us saying ‘I will kill you all.’ When two residents walking by intervened, saying we were telling the truth, he threatened them as well,” Demir said of the incident.

 

Authorities have launched an investigation against journalist Seyhan Avşar in connection with her reporting over allegations of torture and killing of a person, who had been taken into custody by the gendarmerie in the earthquake-hit Hatay province for alleged looting.

Journalist Gökçer Tahincioğlu said he was prevented by soldiers from filming disposal of asbestos-laden debris in a river stream in Kahramanmaraş, the epicenter of Feb. 6 earthquakes. “We managed to get a footage, even though it was short,” he said.

 

The Directorate of Communications of the Presidency has filed a criminal complaint against journalist İbrahim Haskoloğlu for his social media posts about the directorate, claiming they “incite people to hatred and enmity.” Haskoloğlu said he was summoned to give his statement.

 

Minister Soylu slams media outlets for critical earthquake coverage

Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu criticized journalists and media outlets, including Deutsche Welle, for disseminating criticism against the government’s rescue efforts in the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes.

“Especially a few columnists at some opposition newspapers and people who are assigned to here from foreign countries, such as Deutsche Welle [journalists], have been spreading lies about the earthquake morning,” Soylu said at a press conference in Hatay on 21 February. “We are witnessing some people looking for ways to score political goals out of this.”

 

ETHA executives face trial for “denigrating Turkish state”

 

A lawsuit has been filed against the Etkin News Agency (ETHA) publishers Pınar Gayıp and Mehmet Acettin on charges of “denigrating the Turkish state” following a criminal complaint filed by a lawyer over the agency’s coverage of a sexual assault case against him.

The first hearing of the trial will be held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 4 May 2023.

 

The lawyer, who had been sentenced to three years in prison on sexual assault charges, had filed a criminal complaint against ETHA’s Gayıp and Acettin for “spreading terrorism propaganda” over the agency’s coverage of the case.

 

Presidency of Religious Affairs files complaint against journalist Fatih Altaylı

 

The Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) has filed a criminal complaint against journalist Fatih Altaylı for “insult” over a social media post. Diyanet lawyers claimed that Altay has used a denigrating and insulting language against the institution in the relevant post, creating public indignation.

 

Altaylı’s post concerned a response on Diyanet’s website to a question asking if it was permissible under Islam to adopt a quake-survivor child. Diyanet response noted that the adopted child would have no right to inherit assets from the adopting parents and that marriage between an adopting parent and the adopted child would be permissible. In his social media post, Altaylı called the officials involved in the response as “perverts” that should have no business working for Diyanet and said they should “go join the porn industry.”

 

Court lifts judicial control measure on documentary filmmaker Sibel Tekin

 

The trial of filmmaker Sibel Tekin, who is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” over a documentary, got under way at the Ankara 26th High Criminal Court on 23 February 2023.

 

Tekin was arrested in December 2022 for filming police cars and a bus carrying prison staff as she was recording footage of commuters in the dark morning hours for a documentary on permanent daylight-saving time. The indictment charges Tekin with “membership in a terrorist organization,” punishable by up to 15 years in prison, for filming the prison bus and the police car for “reconnaissance purposes” under instructions from a terrorist organization. It does not, however, say which terrorist organization Tekin was linked to.

 

Tekin and her lawyers attended the hearing, which was monitored by P24.

 

In her defense statement, Tekin said that she has been giving lectures on documentary and fiction at Hacettepe University since 2007 and that she was not a member of any organization. Tekin demanded her acquittal.

 

Tekin’s lawyer Cenk Yiğiter stressed that his client was filming in a public area, and she did not need any permission for filming thanks to her international press card. The prosecutor requested that an expert report be filed to determine whether Tekin filmed the correction officers intentionally. The prosecutor also requested Tekin's computer to be examined.

 

The court accepted the prosecutor’s requests and decided to lift the judicial control measure that requires Tekin to check in a police station on a regular basis. Her international travel ban, however, remained in place. The trial was adjourned until 8 June.

 

On the other hand, journalist Ceren Kaynak İskit reported that police prevented Tekin and her lawyer from reading out a press statement in front of the courthouse after the hearing. “They are not merely preventing but also still following us! They threaten us by resorting to violence if we do not leave the area,” she wrote.

 

Prosecutor demands conviction for rights defender Eren Keskin at first hearing

 

The first hearing in the trial of Human Rights Association (İHD) Co-Chair Eren Keskin for “marking those involved in the fight against terrorism as target” and “insulting a public official” over a social media post was held at the İzmir 18th High Criminal Court.

 

The charges stem from Keskin’s tweet saying "There is no respect for mourning. Deniz Poyraz's father's demand for justice is considered 'propaganda'," in reference to the young woman who was killed in an armed attack on the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) office in the western province of İzmir in June 2021. The tweet quoted by Keskin said the prosecutors charged Deniz Poyraz's father with "terrorism propaganda" instead of investigating who ordered the armed attack that killed Poyraz.

 

Keskin and her lawyers attended the hearing via judicial videoconferencing system from the Anadolu 1st High Criminal Court.

 

In her defense statement, Keskin underlined that she was one of Deniz Poyraz family’s lawyers and said, “I had posted more fierce remarks than this one, I stand by them. I did not criticize an individual but the judicial system.”

 

The prosecutor submitted their final opinion on the case and requested the court to convict Keskin of “marking those involved in the fight against terrorism as target,” and rule for acquittal of “insulting a public official.”

 

Keskin and her lawyers demanded additional time to prepare their defense statements.

 

The court accepted the demand and adjourned the trial until 1 June 2023.

 

 

Prosecutor demands conviction for writer Cafer Solgun of “insult”

 

The second hearing in the trial of writer Cafer Solgun, who is standing trial for “insulting a public official” over a social media post criticizing then Nazımiye District Governor Uğur Tutkan, was held at the Nazımiye Criminal Court of First Instance in Tunceli on 23 February 2023.

 

Neither Solgun nor his lawyer attended the hearing.

 

The prosecutor submitted their final opinion on the case and demanded conviction for Solgun of the impugned crime.

 

The court adjourned the trial until 27 March 2023 for the counterstatements to be prepared.

 

 

Lawsuit of journalist Mansur Çelik filed upon Akın Gürlek’s complaint gets under way

 

The trial of ANKA news agency Managing Editor Mansur Çelik, who is charged with “marking those involved in the fight against terrorism as target” over a report on Akın Gürlek, the former presiding judge of the İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court currently serving as Deputy Minister of Justice, got under way at the Ankara 22nd High Criminal Court on 21 February 2023.

 

Çelik and his lawyer attended the hearing.

 

Çelik in his defense statement stressed that no personal information or image had been included in the report and went as follows: “When Gürlek was appointed Deputy Minister of Justice, he became a public figure, unlike the indictment claims. At the time of the report, the İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court’s refusal to implement a Constitutional Court decision was a first and newsworthy.”

 

The prosecutor requested the court to lift the international travel ban imposed during the investigation period, yet the court decided to keep the ban in place and sent the file to the prosecutor’s office for the final opinion on the case to be drafted.

 

The trial was adjourned until 6 June.

 

Çelik is standing trial over his report published in 2020 on Gürlek’s refusal to implement a Constitutional Court judgment that overturned a İstanbul 14th High Criminal Court verdict against opposition MP Enis Berberoğlu and demanded his retrial.

 

Police obstruction against journalists during “online education” protest

 

Police broke up a demonstration held by the university students in İstanbul on 20 February in protest of the government’s decision to have online education for universities as state-run dormitories were allocated to earthquake victims.

 

While the students were detained violently, the police pushed away journalists to prevent them from filming the police intervention.

 

Trial of journalist Evrim Kepenek adjourned until May

 

The fourth hearing in the trial of journalist Evrim Kepenek on charges of “insult” following Kepenek’s reporting on a case of alleged child abuse was held at the Selçuk Criminal Court of First Instance in İzmir on 21 February 2023. Kepenek was put on trial following a complaint from the defendant in the case.

 

The judge did not allow the observers and press in the hearing room.

 

The court decided to await the outcome of the trial of the defendant, whose case is currently overseen at the İzmir 23rd High Criminal Court, and adjourned the trial until 2 May.

 

Trial of journalist Abdullah Kaya on “terrorism” charges adjourned until May

 

The 21st hearing in the trial of now-defunct Dicle News Agency reporter Abdullah Kaya, who is charged with “membership in a terrorist organization” and “terrorism propaganda,” was held at the Ağrı 2nd High Criminal Court on 21 February 2023.

 

Kaya joined the hearing via judicial videoconferencing system from the Diyadin Courthouse whereas his lawyer was present at the courtroom.

 

In his defense statement, Kaya said that he has been standing trial because of his journalistic activities and requested his confiscated digital equipment be returned. The journalist also demanded his acquittal.

 

The court adjourned the trial until 4 May.

 

Trial of police officers who violently detained journalist Gökhan Biçici adjourned until May

 

The fourth hearing in the trial of five police officers who are standing trial on charges of “simple injury,” “insult” and “violating the right to work and labor” for violently detaining journalist Gökhan Biçici during the Gezi Park protests of 2013 was held at the İstanbul 48th  Criminal Court of First Instance on 23 February 2023.

 

Biçici’s lawyer repeated his demand that the court rule for non-jurisdiction and send the file to a High Criminal Court.

 

The court decided to await the execution of an order for the arrest of a defendant police officer so that his testimony can be heard and adjourned the trial until 23 May 2023.

 

Trial of journalists Ramazan Yurttapan, Haydar Ergül adjourned

 

The second hearing in the trial of Demokratik Modernite magazine Responsible Managing Editor Ramazan Yurttapan and editor Haydar Ergül, who are charged with “insulting the president” over an article published on the magazine, was held at the İstanbul 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance on 21 February 2023.

 

No one attended the hearing.

 

The trial was adjourned until 20 June 2022.

 

Trial of journalist Rozerin Gültekin adjourned until July

 

The first hearing in the trial of journalist Rozerin Gültekin on charges of “violation of the Law 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations” was held at the Bursa 18th Criminal Court of First Instance on 21 February 2023.

 

Gültekin was arrested during a demonstration held in protest of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan’s imprisonment conditions on 12 June 2022 in the western province of Bursa and was later indicted.

 

Neither Gültekin nor her lawyers attended the hearing. The prosecutor requested the court for Gültekin’s statement to be verified that she worked for the JinNews at the date of the incident.

 

The court accepted the request and ruled for a writ to be issued to JinNews to determine whether Gültekin was working there as a journalist at that time.

 

Although the case was filed with the Bursa 18th Criminal Court of First Instance, the file was sent to the İstanbul 58th Criminal Court of First Instance to obtain the deposition of Gültekin, who resides in İstanbul, by court order.

 

At least 69 journalists and media workers in prison

 

There are at least 69 journalists and media employees who are in prison either pending trial or serving sentence in Turkey as of 24 February 2023.

 

The full list can be accessed here.