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Revue de Presse-Press Review~Berhevoka ęape-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Basin Ozeti

2004 for an article published in Vatan that oriticised plans to reduce the sentences that can be served against rapists. The article referred to those who support the changes as having a “sick mentality”. Two MPs who had drafted the bill subsequently took out charges of defamation. PEN seeking further information.

Mehmet NAS: owner and editor-in-chief of Ózgiir Siirt. Trial opened on 10 October 2003 before the Siirt Penal Court. Charged for not publishing a letter from the Siirt Govemor responding to an article in the newspaper accusing the Siirt Govemor of not reacting appropriately to the May 2003 earthquake. The letter was published, but three days after a court deadline ordering the paper to do so. Prosecution sceTcs no imprisonment but heavy fine against Nas. Trial adjourned to 11 December 2003. PEN seeking further information.

Ahmet ÓNAL: owner of the Peri Publishing House. 1) On trial in June 2001 for publishing a collection of interviews with people in exile compiled by human rights activist Ms Evin Aydar Cicek entitled Tutkular veTutsaklar (The Passions and the Prisoners). Seen as “insult to Ataturk”. Sentenced to 15 months in prison in December 2003. Presumed to be appealing the sentence. 2) On trial in August 2002 for book by M. Erol Coskun Acinin Diii Kadin (Women: Voice of the Pain) under article 312 of the Penal Codę. Ónal heavily fined and Coskun sentenced to 15 months in prison in August 2003. They appealed against both convictions. Many other books published by Peri Publishing House are banned. PEN seeking further details

Suat ÓZALP: editor-in-chief and owner of Azadiya Welat. Charged with “support for an illegal organisation" under article 169 of the 'nrrkish Penal Codę and Article 5 of the Anti Terror Law. Linked to the publica-tion on 17 May 2003 of a photograph of PKK leader Abdullah Ócalan with the caption “Serok (President) Apo”. Also article accompanying that is said to contain “propaganda for an illegal organisation”. Trial was to commence in June 2003. PEN seeking further details.

•Aziz ÓZER: editor-in-chief of Yeni Diinya fęin ęagri (Cali for a New World). Sentenced to six months in prison on 9 April 2004 by the Beyoglu Penal Court of First Instance. The charges are in connection with an article entitled “Don’t Be Silent, Claira the Demands of the Prisoners”.

Erol ÓZKORAY, Nur DOLAY: Owner and editor-in-chief of the maga-zine Idea Politika and joumalist respectively. On trial in Novcmber 2002 at the Istanbul State Security Court for an article entitled “Kurdish Wound". Both are resident in France. By 30 December 2003, Ózkoray was still facing 4 further trials with prosecution calling for up to 30 years of imprisonment.

Mustafa BENLI, Kemal EVCIMEN, Nurettin SIR1N: all described on 27 March 2002, by the Turkish Press Council, as joumalists detained as of 1 January 2002 on conviction of membership of an illegal organisation and recommended retrials for them. The Paris bascd Info-Turk claimed in February 2004 that Sirin remains in Kandira prison serving a 15-year sentence and that Evcimen is also still detained in Sincan prison. Nevin BERKTAS (f): political prisoner detained sińce 1994 on charges of membership of a terrorist organisation. Berktas wrote a book on her prison expcriences called Hticrem (My Celi) which was prosecuted under Article 169 of the Penal Codę for “supporting terrorists”. Thought to be for comments in the book supporting prison protests denouncing the F-Type Prisons. Berktas and Elif Camyar, publisher of the book, appeared at the State Security Court Istanbi/1 on 7 November 2001. Berktas was subsequently given an additional 45 months in prison. Camyar received a fine. Background: was first arrested in 1978. and was imprisoncd on a number of other occasions for her radical political activities from then until she was amnestied in 1991. However she was re-arrested on 16 December 1994 and convicted for membership of an illegal organisation accused of extremist activities. Prior to the trial for her book, she was serving a twelve and a half year sentence. to which the 45 month sentence for the book was added. Place of detention: Istanbul-Gebze Prison. Berktas is not due to be freed until early 2011.

Memik HORUZ: Editor-in-chief of Ózgiir Gelecek (Free Futurę) and Isci-KÓylii (Workers & Peasants). Arrested in 6 June 2001 and hcld on charges of membership of an “illegal" organisation. Trial started at Istanbul State Security Court on 3 September 2001. Charges linked to an interview that appeared in Ózgiir Gelecek. Horuz is accused of membership of the Turkish Communist Party/Marxist Leninist - Workers’ and Peasants’ Liberation Army of Turkey (TKP/ML - T1KKO) for his inter-view with iwo members of the organisation. Videos produced on 23 January 2002 suggest that he did meet with TIKKO members, although Horuz maintaincd his innoccnce. According to the International Federation of Joumalists, on 20 February 2002, the charges against Horuz were dropped but new charges werc levied of belonging to an illegal organisation. On 13 June 2002, he was sentenced by the Ankara State Security Court to 15 years in prison under Article 168(2) of the Criminal Codę for writing an article based on interviews with TKP/ML TIKKO members and publishing it in November 2000. He was also

accused of taking part in training sessions with this group and bcing a member. However his defence reportedly provided alibis proving that hc was elsewhere on the dates of his alłeged training sessions. Supporters believe that he was convicted for his joumalistic activities. Sentence confirmed on appeal on 23 January 2003. Ali Kemal Kahraman, editor of Ozgur Gelecek, was also on trial for “publishing the interview by Horuz and therefore supporting an illegal organisation”. WIPC secking further details.

On Trial/Charged (not detained)

♦Harun AKSOY, Asim YENIHABER (Mehmet DOGAN): editor in chief and joumalist respectively for Vakit. Case launched against them in May 2004 for an article by Yenihaber published in August 2003 deemed to be insulting to the Turkish armcd forces. Some days carlier 312 generals had successfully sued the newspaper’s owner Nuri Akyon, Aksoy and Dogan. who receiyed a fine of TL 64 billion.

*Ugur BALIK, Baris GULL0: Chair of the Excutive Board of the Dicle News Agency and owner of ózgiir Haik joumal respectively. Arrested on charges of membership of an illegal organisation on 14 June 2004 following raids on 8 June on a number of joumals and other Istanbul based organisations by anti-terror police in advance of the NATO summit to be held 28-29 June 2004. Believcd to be held briefly prior to charges. Giillu had previously been briefly arrested by the anti-terror branch of the Istanbul State Security Directorate in November 2003.

Dr Fikret BASKAYA, Ózden BAYRAM, Ismet ERDOGAN: Professor and writer, and publishing managers of the Ózgur (Free) University Library. In May 2003 due to stand trial on charges under Article 159/1 of the Penal Codę - insult to the State, State institutions and the military - for articles published in a collection entitled Articles Against the Tide, most of which were written and previously published in the early to mid-1990s. Among the contentious phrases in the articles are a statement suggesting govemment approval of an arson attack against a meeting of writers and artists in the town of Sivas in 1993 in which around 40 people died. Also denying that “there is such a thing as a secular republic" going on to State that Turkey is a “torturę republic". The three reportedly face maximum terms of three years in prison if convicted. Trial continued before the Ankara Penal Court on 6 November 2003. Hearing held on 17 February 2004 was postponed to 9 June 2004 to allow for another expert witness. Baskaya is an Honorary Member: English and Swiss German PEN.

•Hasan BAYAR: editor in chief of Ózgiir Giindem. Case launched against him in early 2004 and the owner of the newspaper Ali Giirbuz for articles on the confessions of a PKK member. Indictment being sought under articles 6 and 7 of the Anti Terror Law on the grounds that the article revealed the names of certain officials working for the anti terror security network.

Bedri BAYKAM: owner of the Piramit publishing house. On trial in June 2004 on charges of obscenity for the book Aum by author Murat Hięyilmaz, also standing trial. The book had been confiscated and the trial arises from the defendants’ refusal to pay a fine..

•Fikret BILA, Umit GURTUNA: author and owner of the Umit Publishing House respectively. Trial launched on 10 June 2004 in Ankara on charges of insult to the MIT (National Intelligence Service) and revealing stale secrets. Charges relate to Bila’s book Sivil Darbe Birisimi ve Ankara'da Irak Savaslari (An Attempted Civilian Coup and the Iraq War in Ankara), published in November 2003. On 18 Novembcr 2003, quotations from the book were published in Milliyet. Bila is also the Ankara representative of the newspaper Milliyet.The book contains reference to transcripts of a phone cali between the British Ambassador in Ankara and Michael Leigh, Deputy Director of Extcmal Relations to the European Union. MIT claim that the information contained in the document is confidential and relates to national security issues. and that by releasing the docubient, State security was put at risk. The trial was postponed to a later datę to allow for consideration of new legislalion goveming State Security Courts.

Mehmet BÓLUK: Chair of the Istanbul branch of the Republican Peoples’ Party (CHP). On trial in July 2003 for his book entitled El Tayyip Nasil Umut Oldu? (How did Al-Tayyip Become the Hope of the People?) before the Kadikóy Penal Court. Book seen to “insult to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan”. 9 July trial hearing adjourned to allow time for preparation of the finał defence statement to be based on an expert report suggesting that the book falls within the remit of legitimate criticism. PEN seeking update.

•Sukni BULUT, Mustafa DÓLUKER: joumalists. Hearing held before the Istanbul State Security Court on 10 February 2004 for article entitled “Zelzełelcr Denktir Felaketler" (Earthquakes are Catastrophes). Originally acquitted by the SSC, the prosecution appealed and a retrial started.

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