Yeni Yaşam columnist Ahmet Güneş objected to the confiscation of issues, saying the decisions were unlawful and they would not accept them

AZİZ ORUÇ

The Yeni Yaşam newspaper, which put out its first issue in May 2018, has faced several cases of censorship and judicial pressure since its establishment. Many news items which appeared in the newspaper as well as many issues were banned, access to its website was denied many times and its employees were detained. During October 2024, there have been several decisions to confiscate the issues of the newspaper.

The first decision to confiscate issues in October was issued by the Tunceli Criminal Court of Peace on 1 October on grounds of “terrorism propaganda.” It was followed by the İstanbul 1st Criminal Court of Peace, which issued an order for the confiscation of the 7 October edition. On 11 October, the Batman 2nd Criminal Court of Peace ordered the confiscation of the day’s issue on grounds of “containing articles praising a terrorist organization” and “a review of the entire of content of the newspaper indicating the crime of terrorism propaganda.” Finally, the 13 and 14 October issues of Yeni Yaşam were pulled off the shelves by the İstanbul 9th Criminal Court of Peace over the same grounds.

Six orders were issued to confiscate copies of the newspaper in a month. Access block and confiscation orders were also issued against articles and news items concerning PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan, such as the headline “Kürt’ün hayali Öcalan’a kavuşmak" (“Kurds dream of reunion with Öcalan” and contributor Fırat Can’s article titled “3. Dünya Savaşı, Ortadoğu’da kaos ve çıkış yolu” (“World War III, Chaos in the Middle East and the Way Out”).

Confiscation order for 4 November issue

The Büyükçekmece Criminal Court of Peace on duty issued an order for the confiscation of the 4 November edition of Yeni Yaşam on grounds of publishing a photograph of Abdullah Öcalan.

Separate objections have been filed against the orders to confiscate copies of the newspaper. The objections stated that the orders did not clearly identify which news items or articles contained elements of crime and therefore were in violation of the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). It was emphasized that the decisions lacked legal and material bases and constituted “censorship.”

“Pressures will not keep us from writing the truth”

Speaking to P24 about the order for confiscating issues of the newspaper and other obstructions, Yeni Yaşam employee and journalist Ahmet Güneş said the following:

“Six orders to confiscate copies of the Yeni Yaşam newspaper were issued in a month. We are aware that the pressure on the newspaper is not unconnected with recent political developments. In the tradition of the free press, neither bans nor such pressure will keep us from writing the truth. Where we stand today is where we stood yesterday, as we continue to defend the people’s freedom to obtain information and news. These orders are unlawful. They are policies pursued to silence journalists and the newspaper. We do not accept this unlawfulness and all that has been done.”

“Censorship is becoming widespread”

Güneş said that censorship and self-censorship are becoming widespread and added, “The government wants to bring everyone into line. We are aware of colleagues who practice journalism in the field despite all forms of pressure. Journalists who are covering protests of appointed trustees are dragged on the ground and detained. Free press workers are on trial. The Yeni Yaşam newspaper receives its fair share of this pressure and force. This means we are on the right path, and we insist on keeping to it. As we have said before, we say again ‘We will not obey, and journalism is not a crime’.”