Articles by IPS Communication Foundation – Bianet
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 […]
Thirty-nine television programmes censored in one month; European Court condemns punishment in two cases as violations of freedom of expression
(BIANET/IFEX) – As the Press Council notes the censorship of various news programmes in the month of September 2007, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) finds fault with Turkish court rulings in the case of two citizens. The General Secretary of the Press Council, Oktay Eksi, has reported on the state of media freedom […]
Journalists harassed, one receives death threat, over coverage of controversial song and Hrant Dink’s murder
(BIANET/IFEX) – Various journalists have become the target of aggressive insinuations and direct threats, including a death threat, due to their coverage of a controversial song and video clip considered to portray the murderers of journalist Hrant Dink as heroes. Nationalist singer Ismail Türüt recorded a song entitled “Plan, don’t make a plan”, composed by […]
Recording of police conversation reveals prior knowledge of journalist Hrant Dink’s murder
(BIANET/IFEX) – As the murder trial of journalist Hrant Dink continued on 1 October 2007, a recording of the suspect Erhan Tuncel speaking to police intelligence officer Muhittin Zenit has emerged, though the prosecution has yet to procure it. The recorded conversation, made public by Murat Utku, a reporter with the Dogan News Agency (DHA), […]
Journalist on trial for criticising government
(BIANET/IFEX) – “The state made mistakes. When and where? Yesterday, in the East and South-East. Then in Istanbul. In Maras and Sivas. Today in Trabzon, Istanbul, Mersin and in the South-East.” These words have landed journalist Haci Bogatekin in court. Bogatekin owns the local “Gerger Firat” newspaper in Adiyaman, south-eastern Turkey. Because he criticised state […]
Cartoonist convicted, fined for satirising mayor
(BIANET/IFEX) – On 21 September 2007, the Kocaeli Second Penal Court sentenced cartoonist Muhammet Sengöz to 11 months and 20 days’ imprisonment for a satirical cartoon published in the “Free Kocaeli” newspaper. Kocaeli is a province to the east of Istanbul. The case was brought against Sengöz by Greater Kocaeli mayor Ibrahim Karaosmanoglu. The sentence […]
Human rights association reviews dismal freedom of expression situation in first six months of 2007
(BIANET/IFEX) – The following is a 24 September 2007 BIANET press release: IHD six-month report “Crimes of Thought”: 229 Years’ Imprisonment in Six Months Every six months, the Human Rights Association (IHD) publishes a report on human rights violations in Turkey. According to the report, in the first six months of 2007, 451 people were […]