(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has described as “shocking” an 8 June 2004 operation by anti-terrorist police that took 25 people into custody in raids on two pro-Kurdish publications and a news agency in Istanbul. “The legitimate and necessary fight against terrorism can never justify such violations of press freedoms,” the organisation said in a letter to […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF has described as “shocking” an 8 June 2004 operation by anti-terrorist police that took 25 people into custody in raids on two pro-Kurdish publications and a news agency in Istanbul.
“The legitimate and necessary fight against terrorism can never justify such violations of press freedoms,” the organisation said in a letter to Prime Minister Recep Erdogan. “We are shocked that the courts should treat journalists as if they were criminals.”
The organisation also asked the minister to explain “how articles, books and disks seized during the searches could amount to ‘banned material’.”
Acting on the orders of the State Security Court of Istanbul, police searched the offices of the pro-Kurdish news agency Dicle, arresting 16 journalists and other staff. Dicle’s lawyers said police suspected the journalists of having links with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), renamed Kongra-Gel, and were looking for “banned material” in the run-up to the NATO summit in Istanbul on 28 and 29 June.
Hüsniye Tekin, Deniz Boyraz and Baki Gül, three journalists with the pro-Kurdish daily “Ülkede Özgür Gündem” who arrived to cover the police raid on Dicle, were also taken into custody.
Anti-terrorist police also searched the offices of the pro-Kurdish monthlies “Özgür Halk” and “Genc Bakis” and arrested six staffers. In each search police seized journalists’ files, books and computer disks.
Calling for the immediate release of the journalists and return of their property, RSF stressed that the European Court of Human Rights views searches of homes and offices of journalists as contrary to Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, unless there is a “pressing social need”.
Police released Hatice Özbaris, of Dicle, later the same day. The other journalists and staffers remain in custody.
