Articles by IPS Communication Foundation – Bianet
Gün TV in Diyarbakir barred from broadcasting news programme for six days
(BIANET/IFEX) – The Gün TV channel in Diyarbakir province has been barred from broadcasting its 7:30 p.m. news programme for six days after it was accused by the provincial election board of favouring the Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) on its channel. Gün TV is a local television station which broadcasts in the southeastern province […]
Journalists Mustafa Balbay and Neriman Aydin arrested in connection with case about overthrowing the government
(BIANET/IFEX) – The Ankara bureau chief of “Cumhuriyet Daily”, Mustafa Balbay, and online “Toplumsal Haber” columnist, Nerima Aydin, were taken under custody for a second time in relation to the Ergenekon case, involving accusations of overthrowing the government. Both were sent to Metris prison. Turkey’s Society of Journalists (TGC), Contemporary Journalists’ Association (ÇGD) and Turkey’s […]
Intellectuals rally in support of sociologist Ismail Besikci after threatening message is posted on armed group’s website
(BIANET/IFEX) – The following is a 25 February 2009 BIANET statement: A group of intellectuals and academics has condemned an armed group related to the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) for openly threatening sociologist Ismail Besikci on their website. Besikci is well-known in Turkey as the Turkish academic who, because of his research on the Kurds, […]
Radio Dunya acquitted after facing charges for broadcasting Kurdish folk song; other charges still pending
(BIANET/IFEX) – According to broadcasting editor Mehmet Arslan of Radio Dunya, a case brought against the station for playing the Kurdish folk song “Mihemedo” in 2007 has ended in acquittal. However, another case against the station is still in court. Radio Dunya broadcasts in the province of Adana, in southern Turkey. On 23 February 2009, […]
“The God Delusion” publisher faces charges of “inciting people to hatred”
(BIANET/IFEX) – The chief public prosecutor in Istanbul’s Sisli district has brought an action against publisher Erol Karaaslan of Kuzey Publications for “inciting people to hatred and hostility or denigration.” Last year, a complaint brought by another individual, Emre Bukagili, over the Turkish translation of “The God Delusion” by Richard Dawkins resulted in a court […]
Public prosecutor files an appeal of singer Bülent Ersoy’s acquittal
(BIANET/IFEX) – The following is an abridged version of an 11 February 2009 BIANET statement: Following the acquittal of singer Bülent Ersoy for her criticism of cross-border operations into Northern Iraq last year, the prosecutor in the case is insisting on an appeal, arguing that Ersoy’s biological inability to have children is an insult to […]
Journalists Gokcer Tahincioglu and Kemal Goktas face up to three years in prison for “acquiring classified information”
(BIANET/IFEX) – Two journalists, the daily “Milliyet”‘s Gokcer Tahincioglu and “Vatan” newspaper’s Kemal Goktas, are on trial for allegations related to articles revealing the unlawful authorization of security forces, police, the gendarmerie and the national intelligence service to monitor all electronic communication between citizens. Tahincioglu and Goktas are accused of “acquiring classified information” and “rendering […]
In the two years since journalist Hrant Dink’s murder, nobody has been brought to justice
(BIANET/IFEX) – The following is an abbreviated version of a 19 January 2009 BIANET press release: The trial in the murder of Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink started on 2 July 2007 in Istanbul. In the following excerpt, lawyers Fethiye Cetin and Deniz Tuna summarise events at the trial. Two years have passed since Hrant Dink’s […]