On 9 April 1996, Istanbul State Security Court ordered the leftist daily “Evrensel” shut down for one month for having published two articles on 30 August 1995. The first one, entitled “Special Forces Execution in Midyat,” was ruled to have incited racism, which is in violation of Article 312 of the Penal Code. The second […]
On 9 April 1996, Istanbul State Security Court ordered the
leftist daily “Evrensel” shut down for one month for having
published two articles on 30 August 1995. The first one, entitled
“Special Forces Execution in Midyat,” was ruled to have incited
racism, which is in violation of Article 312 of the Penal Code.
The second one, “Efforts to Mediate Between Iraqi Kurdish
Groups,” was deemed a violation of Article 6 of the Anti-Terror
Law banning the publication of “statements by terror
organizations.” On 4 April, “Evrensel” was ordered shut down for
one month for “inciting hatred” and “promoting racism” in a
September 1995 column about World Peace Day. The column called
for an end to the fighting between the Turkish army and Kurdish
rebels. Also on 9 April, Ali Erol, the editor legally responsible
for “Evrensel”, was sentenced to two years in prison and fined
US$ 1,050 on the same charges as those laid against the
newspaper. On 4 April, a previous two-year prison sentence
against Erol was commuted to a US$ 60 fine. Erol will remain free
and the paper will continue publishing pending appeals of these
convictions.
The editors of “Evrensel” claim that the convictions were in
retaliation for the newspaper’s determination to follow up on the
case of its reporter Metin Goktepe, who was killed by policemen
on 8 January (see IFEX alert dated 9 January 1996). Eleven police
officers are to be tried for murder and more than 30 officers for
lesser charges related to the death of Goktepe.
These are the first convictions of “Evrensel”. The newspaper was
cleared of charges against it in 10 previous trials. So far, the
newspaper has been confiscated 23 times, while there are 26
trials continuing against it. A statement by “Evrensel” pointed
out that Article 312 of the Penal Code mandates closure from 3 to
30 days. “By applying the highest possible punishment under the
law, the court’s decision proves to be a part of the harassment
scheme,” the statement said.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
sentence handed down against Ali Erol, pointing out that these
actions are infringements of press freedom and freedom of
expression
reversal of the order to shut down “Evrensel”
harassment of journalists and newspapers in Turkey
Appeals To
His Excellency Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz
Basbakanlik
06573 Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 0476 or +90 312 230 8896
Ulku Guney
Minister of the Interior
Icisleri Bakanligi
06644 Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 418 1066 or +90 312 418 1795
Mehmet Agar
Minister of Justice
Adalet Bakanligi
06659 Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 3954
your diplomatic representative in Turkey
the Turkish diplomatic representative in your country
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
