Articles by IPS Communication Foundation – Bianet
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 […]
Islamic newspaper’s columnist charged with “denigrating the armed forces”
(BIANET/IFEX) – Authorities have filed a lawsuit against Abdurrahman Dilipak, a columnist for the Islamic newspaper “Anadolu’da Vakit”, for his article titled “Cübbe Sarik” (“Religious cloak and turban”), which was published on 13 February 2008. He is accused of “denigrating the armed forces through media.” The case was filed following the complaint made by the […]
Publisher of controversial history book convicted on one charge, acquitted on another
(BIANET/IFEX) – On 17 June 2008, the Istanbul 2nd Court of First Instance ruled on the case of Ragip Zarakolu, the owner of Belge Publishing. Zarakolu was on trial for “denigrating the State and the Republic” and “insulting Atatürk’s memory”, for publishing George Jerjian’s book, entitled “History Will Set Us Free”. Zarakolu was convicted of […]
Conscientious objector Halil Savda sentenced to five months in prison for speaking in support of Israeli conscientious objectors
(BIANET/IFEX) – Halil Savda, a conscientious objector, who is already in jail for supporting other conscientious objectors, was sentenced on 2 June 2008 to five months in prison for supporting two Israeli conscientious objectors. Sultanahmet First Court of First Instance in Istanbul sentenced Halil Savda to six months in prison for supporting in a press […]
ECHR orders compensation for Izmir human rights activist convicted over statement on US military involvement in Afghanistan
(BIANET/IFEX) – The following is an abridged version of a 27 March 2008 BIANET statement: ECHR Sentences Turkey in IHD Case Turkey has been ordered by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to pay 1,000 YTL (approx. 500 euros) in compensation in a ruling on appeals brought by two human rights activists from the […]
Kurdish newspaper’s editor jailed while awaiting possible trial on charges over articles
(BIANET/IFEX) – Vedat Kursun, editor of the Kurdish newspaper “Azadiya Welat”, has been in police custody since 5 February 2008, accused of “continuously spreading PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) propaganda.” The Diyarbakir Public Prosecutor has demanded that Kursun, who is also the license holder for the newspaper, be imprisoned for his alleged crime. In deliberations at […]
Access to Indymedia-Istanbul and YouTube websites blocked by court orders
(BIANET/IFEX) – Access to the Indymedia-Istanbul website has been blocked following a court decision. Access to the Wordpress and YouTube websites is also currently blocked. Turkey continues to close down whole sites because of individual contributions, a measure which has been condemned by both BIANET and Reporters without Borders (RSF). The Indymedia-Istanbul website, an independent […]