Articles by IPS Communication Foundation – Bianet
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 […]
Journalist Sinan Kara acquitted on one charge under Article 301, faces three others
(BIANET/IFEX) – “Gündem” journalist Sinan Kara, who has been imprisoned three times before, was acquitted in a trial concerning an article he wrote, in which he joined EU Commission Turkey representative Hans Jörg Kretschmer in criticising the army. The article was entitled “Barracks Party”. The Beyoglu Penal Court in Istanbul decreed that there were “no […]
Newspaper owner shot to death in Van
(BIANET/IFEX) – Kasim Ciftci, owner of the “Hakkari Province Voice” newspaper, aged 46, was killed in Van on 22 September 2007. His family took his body from the Van State Hospital on 23 September for burial in Hakkari, a province southeast of Van, in southeastern Turkey. Fellow journalist Necip Capraz, the owner of the “Yüksekova […]