Articles by IPS Communication Foundation – Bianet
Local journalist detained in Gaziantep, awaits trial over article referring to “North Kurdistan”
(BIANET/IFEX) – Yasin Yetisgen, owner and director of the “Coban Atesi” (“Shepherd’s Fire”) weekly newspaper in Gaziantep, south-eastern Turkey, has been detained since 13 August 2007 for using the expression “North Kurdistan” in one of his articles. He is facing charges of “damaging the unity and integrity of the state” although it is not clear […]
Four websites face lawsuits for reporting on labour issues in media group
(BIANET/IFEX) – Four websites reporting on the obstruction of trade union activities among employees of “Sabah” newspaper have been sued for compensation by Nurdan Acur, human resources manager of the Merkez Newspaper Group. The Modern Journalists’ Association (CGD) has condemned Acur for filing suits against four Internet sites which had posted items about her and […]
Various journalists detained, released, on trial for allegedly insulting authorities in articles
(BIANET/IFEX) – Two journalists of “Söz” TV and newspaper in Diyarbakir, in south-eastern Turkey, have been put on trial on charges of insulting local authorities in print. In a separate case, the director of the local newspaper “Emirdag” in Afyonkarahisar, in central Anatolia, is being tried for insulting an officer on duty. In a third […]
Journalist faces criminal charges over article on soldiers’ complaints
(BIANET/IFEX) – The General Staff of the Turkish military has filed a criminal complaint against journalist Umur Talu of “Sabah” newspaper for “acting in an insulting and derisive manner aimed at undermining relations between junior and senior officers and destroying trust in superiors or commanders”. The complaint is based on an article by Talu published […]
Journalist on trial for allegedly insulting mayor, other officials, in satirical newspaper article
(BIANET/IFEX) – Yakup Önal, of the local newspaper “Sarköy’ün Sesi” (“The Voice of Sarköy”) in Sarköy, Tekirdag province, is on trial for allegedly “insulting” the Justice and Development Party (AKP) mayor and two members of the municipal council. The prosecution has demanded 10 years’ imprisonment for Önal for insulting Mayor Can Gürsoy and municipal council […]
Journalist convicted of “insulting” lawyer, faces possible imprisonment and compensation fees
(BIANET/IFEX) – Journalist Ayse Önal of the “Star” newspaper has been sentenced to three months imprisonment and payment of compensation to Kemal Kerincsiz, a lawyer with of the Great Lawyer’s Union, after he filed a suit against her. Her imprisonment has been converted into a fine. Önal has been sentenced to paying Kerincsiz compensation by […]
Three human rights activists receive prison sentences for criticising military operation, prison conditions
(BIANET/IFEX) – Three human rights activists of the Adana branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) have been sentenced to two years and eight months’ imprisonment for criticising the “Return to Life” military operations of December 2000 and the prison conditions of Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. The IHD’s Istanbul branch has denounced the ruling. The […]
Historian receives death threat, is harassed by newspaper, for questioning official history
(BIANET/IFEX) – Prof. Dr. Taner Akcam of the history department at Minnesota University, who has consistently described in his work the events of 1915 a “genocide”, fears for his life since receiving death threats over e-mail. Researching the source of the threats, Akcam has found a person with the assumed name “Holdwater”. The “Hürriyet” newspaper […]