Articles by IPS Communication Foundation – Bianet
Court sentences former parliamentarian to 10 years in jail for speeches sympathetic to Kurdistan, imprisoned Kurdish leader
(BIANET/IFEX) – On 4 December 2008, the 5th High Criminal Court of Diyarbakir sentenced Leyla Zana, a former member of the Democracy Party (DEP), to 10 years in prison for “being a member of a terrorist organization” under article 314/2 of the Turkish Penal Code. The court, headed by Judge Dündar Örsdemir, decided that Zana’s […]
Two journalists face lengthy jail sentences over writings about prosecutor
(BIANET/IFEX) – The prosecutor in Gerger, in the southeastern province of Adiyaman, has asked for a sentence of 13 years and two months for journalist Haci Bogatekin, who has already served 109 days in prison for voicing his opinion about Prosecutor Sadullah Ovacikli’s possible close connections to Fethullah Gülen, a well-known Islamic community leader in […]
Court fines newspaper, columnist over disclosure of sensitive information in article
(BIANET/IFEX) – An Ankara civil court has fined “Birgun” newspaper and its columnist, Fikri Saglar, on charges of having attacked the personal rights of former chief of staff, General Yasar Buyukanit, and his wife, Filiz Buyukanit, in a column by Saglar entitled, “Was Buyukanit given a file?” The court accepted the suit for damages in […]
Journalist acquitted of charges of “securing and spreading secret documents”; another investigative journalist faces charges
(BIANET/IFEX) – Nazif Iflasoglu, a reporter from the daily “Radikal”, has been acquitted of the accusation of “securing and spreading secret documents”. He had faced the charges for publishing an article about the strategy of the Follow-Up Committee at the Prime Ministry regarding its fight against the radical Muslim Hizbullah Organization. The journalist published his […]
Journalists’ associations call for removal of accreditation ban put into effect by prime minister’s office
(BIANET/IFEX) – Sultan Özer, a member of the Discipline Committee of the Turkish Journalists Union (TGS) and diplomacy reporter for the daily “Günlük Evrensel”, petitioned the Administrative Court of Ankara for the removal of an accreditation ban put into effect by the Prime Ministry against some journalists. She wants to be allowed to take part […]
Writer, singer sued for allegedly alienating people from military service
(BIANET/IFEX) – In two separate incidents, a writer and transsexual singer are being sued for allegedly alienating people from military service. Writer Cezmi Ersöz, who is facing three years in prison for “alienating people from military service” was to appear before the 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance of Beyglu, Istanbul, on 30 October 2008. […]
BIANET threatened with banning of its Internet site
(BIANET/IFEX) – The following is a 29 October 2008 BIANET press release: Adnan Oktar, the name behind the closing of most of the internet sites in Turkey, has threatened Bianet too. Claiming he was insulted and slandered in an article criticizing the internet bans from a legal perspective, which appeared on http://www.bianet.org, Adnan Oktar (Adnan […]
Two journalists receive prison sentences for writing about Kurdish Workers Party
(BIANET/IFEX) – The following is a 28 October 2008 BIANET press release: Journalists Vatandas and Belek of the pro-Kurdish newspaper “Evrensel” receive prison sentences for publishing a declaration by the Kurdish Workers Party “Evrensel” desk editor in-charge Mehmet Ugras Vatandas and license holder Ahmet Sami Belek have been sentenced to one year in prison for […]