Articles by IPS Communication Foundation – Bianet
Military bans print, broadcast coverage of trial of soldiers previously taken hostage by separatist group
(BIANET/IFEX) – The Gendarmerie Public Order Corps Command Military Court in Van, in southeast Turkey, has put in place a broadcast and print ban concerning the investigation of the eight soldiers taken hostage by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) on 21 October 2007 and released two weeks later. The decision was also announced on the […]
Diyarbakir broadcaster harassed over Kurdish-language programming; radio station on trial over song
(BIANET/IFEX) – Gün TV, a local station in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey, is the only channel to have broadcast Kurdish programmes for the past year and a half. However, the channel, which is legally allowed to broadcast four hours a week in Kurdish, has faced many difficulties, both over its news and music programmes. Gün Radio-TV […]
Issue of newspaper confiscated for “anti-military” article
(BIANET/IFEX) – The Gaziantep First Criminal Court of Peace has ordered the confiscation of the 32nd issue of the local “Coban Atesi” (Shepherd’s Fire) newspaper after it published journalist Berkant Coslun’s article entitled “Mother, Don’t Send Me to the Army”. The newspaper stands accused of “damaging the public image of military service.” Judge Saban Kaplan […]
MP faces loss of parliamentary immunity for speaking Kurdish
(BIANET/IFEX) – Hamit Geylani, independent Member of Parliament for Hakkari, has protested attempts to have his parliamentary immunity lifted for speaking Kurdish during the election campaign. Geylani says that demands to lift his immunity are based on the fact that he spoke Kurdish at a rally in Yüksekova, Hakkari, before the 22 July 2007 general […]
Editor on trial again for “breaching secrecy”
(BIANET/IFEX) – Faruk Cakir, editor-in-chief of the “Yeni Asya” newspaper, is to be tried for two articles entitled “Council of State to Expand Case” and “Investigation of Council of State is Being Expanded”. He is accused of violating the secrecy of an investigation. Bagcilar Public Prosecutor Ali Cakir has opened a case against Cakir. The […]
Government ban on broadcasts about PKK attack overturned; prime minister criticises decision
(BIANET/IFEX) – The Union of Judges and Prosecutors (YARSAV) has reacted to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s comments on the decision by the State Council’s 13th Chamber to stop the ban on broadcasts relating to the 21 October 2007 Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) attack in Daglica, Hakkari, calling the prime minister’s comments “lacking in legal […]
“Cumhuriyet” newspaper dismisses writer after he criticises draft constitution, urges peaceful resolution of Kurdish conflict, on television
(BIANET/IFEX) – Journalist and writer Erdogan Aydin has been dismissed from the “Cumhuriyet” newspaper after taking part in a discussion programme on Roj television station recently. The programme, broadcast on 23 October 2007, discussed obligatory religious education at school and the appeal of an Alevi citizen to the European Court of Human Rights. (The Alevi […]
Confidentiality of journalists’ sources targeted in ongoing crackdown
(BIANET/IFEX) – The following is a 2 November 2007 BIANET capsule report: Abuse of Journalists’ Confidential Material Recent events at the Northern Iraqi border are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to violations of press freedom. The police and the prosecution have compromised journalists’ sources at least ten times in the past […]