(RSF/IFEX) – On 20 July 1998, the prefectorial council of Aydin, in western Turkey, decided that the police officers who assaulted journalists Cedal Baslangiç, Ahmet Sik and Mert Ilkutlug should benefit from an “immunity” provided for under Article 5 of the law on the responsibility of government employees, and cannot therefore be prosecuted. On 21 […]
(RSF/IFEX) – On 20 July 1998, the prefectorial council of Aydin, in western
Turkey, decided that the police officers who assaulted journalists Cedal
Baslangiç, Ahmet Sik and Mert Ilkutlug should benefit from an “immunity”
provided for under Article 5 of the law on the responsibility of government
employees, and cannot therefore be prosecuted.
On 21 April 1997, during a trial of police officers accused of having
tortured a student to death in 1993 in Aydin, members of the security forces
dispersed the journalists present at the hearing. While leaving the
courthouse, the officers seriously assaulted Ilkutlug, a reporter for the
daily “Milliyet”, editorial writer Celal Baslangiç and reporter Ahmet Sik
of the daily “Radikal”. Other members of the media, who did not file a
complaint over the incident, were also assaulted. The majority of them had
to be taken to hospital.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
the officers implicated in the assault of the three journalists
tried under the law and that all developments in the case be made known
Appeals To
Mr. Hasan Denizkurdu
Minister of Justice
Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 39 54
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
