Articles by IPS Communication Foundation – Bianet
Labour Party politician convicted for allegedly “praising a crime and criminals”
(BIANET/IFEX) – After saying, “The death of soldiers, and the death of Kurdish martyrs pains us”, Tunceli’s Province Chair of the Labour Party (EMEP), Hüseyin Tunc, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, converted into a 1,500 YTL fine (approx. 1,260 US$). Tunc had uttered the words in a speech in Tunceli on 2 September 2006, […]
Student on trial for threatening publisher with death over coverage of Dink killing
(BIANET/IFEX) – Necati Abay, publisher and spokesperson for the Platform of Solidarity with Imprisoned Journalists, wrote an article entitled “Another Journalist Has Been Murdered, the ‘Good Kids’ killed Hrant Dink” shortly after Dink’s murder on 19 January 2007. Following the publication of the article, 20-year-old Mert Sahin threatened him with death. Sahin was then a […]
Three French journalists temporarily detained at border, their equipment confiscated
(BIANET/IFEX) – Three French journalists were arrested and temporarily detained by Turkish authorities as they attempted to enter northern Iraq through the Habur border gate at around 9:00 a.m. (local time) on 24 October 2007. When one of the journalists refused to hand over his camera, he was treated violently. After filming and recording interviews […]
Government censors coverage of PKK attack to allegedly protect “people’s morale and psychology”
(BIANET/IFEX) – The government has cited Article 25 of Law 3984 of the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) in order to introduce a broadcasting ban on the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) attacks in the Daglica region of Hakkari in which 13 soldiers died on 21 October 2007. The article is called “Banning of Publications/Broadcasts”. […]
Twelve suspects to face trial in murder of publishing house employees
(BIANET/IFEX) – Twelve suspects, five of whom are in detention, face trial for the 18 April 2007 murder of three employees of a publishing house. Prosecutors are demanding life sentences for the defendants Emre Günaydin, Abuzer Yildirim, Hamit Ceker, Cuma Özdemir and Salih Güler for founding an armed group, for being members of this group […]
Various writers, activists, journalists still facing prosecution under Article 301
(BIANET/IFEX) – Despite pressure from the EU and human rights activists internationally and domestically, the prosecution of journalists, writers and activists under the infamous Article 301 continues. Before the Progress Report of the European Union, EU authorities had called for the abolition of Article 301, and Turkish government officials had signaled that changes were on […]
High-school student given suspended sentence for threatening “Agos” newspaper
(BIANET/IFEX) – A 19-year old man has been given a two-year suspended sentence for sending an e-mail threat to the “Agos” newspaper. A court in Sisli, central Istanbul, imposed the sentence on Ridvan Dogan, who sent a threatening e-mail to the “Agos” newspaper after the murder of its editor Hrant Dink, with a two-year suspended […]
Writer sentenced for allegedly “insulting the state security forces” in newspaper article
(BIANET/IFEX) – On 27 September 2007, a penal court in Istanbul decreed that writer and film director Umur Hozatli had “insulted the state security forces in the press” (Article 301/2 of the Turkish Penal Code) and sentenced him to a six-month imprisonment term. This was then reduced to five months, and the sentence was converted […]