DİYARBAKIR -  Pointing out that they were accused of the news they report, released journalist Emrullah Acar said: "Even if a single Free Press employee remains outside, we will work, the truth will not remain in the dark."

 

Pressure on journalists continues in Turkey, which ranks 165th among 180 countries in the Press Freedom List of Reporters Without Borders (RSF). According to the latest report published by the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG), in addition to censorship and repression, 77 journalists are held in prison due to their professional activities. Those who suffer the most from AKP's censorship and repression policies are Free Press workers. As a matter of fact, DFG Co-Chair Dicle Müftüoğlu, Mesopotamia Agency (MA) Abdurrahman Gök, Sedat Yılmaz, Mehmet Şah Oruç, JINNEWS reporter Beritan Canözer, and journalists Mikail Barut and Remzi Akkaya have been arrested.

 

MA Editor-in-Chief Diren Yurtsever, reporters Selman Güzelyüz, Deniz Nazlım, Berivan Altan, Emrullah Acar, Hakan Yalçın, Ceylan Şahinli and JINNEWS reporters Habibe Eren and Öznur Değer who were detained on October 25, 2022 as part of the investigation carried out by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, were arrested on October 29 on charges of "being a member of in a terrorist organization", were released in the first hearing held at the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court on May 16. Journalist Hamdullah Bayram, who was arrested after being taken into custody on March 16, 2023 as part of the file, was given a decision to continue his detention.

 

Released MA Correspondent Emrullah Acar talked about the oppression of journalists and the violations of rights they were subjected to in prison.

 

SINGLE CELL DURING 7 MONTHS

 

Stating that the unlawfulness that started in detention continued during the detention process, Acar listed the rights violations they were exposed to. Acar said: “We were sent to Sincan No. 1 High Security Prison, where prisoners sentenced to aggravated prison terms are housed. Although we were imprisoned, we were held under aggravated life sentence conditions. We stayed in single cells for 7 months. From sunrise to sunset, our right to go to the air conditioning was limited to only 1 and a half hours a day. Wire fences have been drawn in front of the only window of the cell, which is closed with iron bars. Those held from 'different crime categories' in the prison are kept in the same corridors. For example, in a corridor, there were soldiers from PKK, ISIS, and soldiers arrested on the grounds of the July 15 coup attempt. Similar to the practice of 'confuse, clash and get results' applied in prisons after the September 12 Military Coup is being tried. We faced threats because we wrote about these rights violations in prison as a journalist.”

 

'OUR ONLY CRIME WAS OUR NEWS STORIES'

 

Expressing that the increasing pressures of the government are aimed at silencing the Free Press, Acar said: "The arrests are a message to all journalists who write the truth. The pressure on the Free Press had increased before the May 14 elections. When we look at the questions asked in custody and the police reports reflected in the indictment, our only crime that was the subject of the investigation was our news stories. Our indictment came out 4 months after our arrest. In the file; It was considered a crime to report the violations of rights in prisons and the isolation on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan. It was our journalism that was judged, not us. Despite the lack of concrete evidence, we were detained for about 7 months.”

 

'TRUTH WILL NOT REMAIN IN THE DARK'

 

Underlining that the main goal of the operations against journalists is to leave the truth in the dark, Acar said: “However, this goal has never been achieved. After we were arrested, we followed the agenda as much as possible and witnessed that our friends did not leave the public unannounced with an extraordinary performance. The fact that a reporter made an effort in the performance of two reporters, and that many people started working for the Free Press after we were arrested, also gave us a boost. The louder voice of the Free Press, which is intended to be silenced by detentions and arrests, gave the following message to those who filed lawsuits against us with police reports; Even if a single Free Press employee remains outside, the truth will not remain in the dark.”

 

Stating that he met MA editor Abdurahman Gök, who was arrested on April 27 as part of the investigation carried out by Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, with the Free Press, Acar reminded the words of Gök "We will write on behalf of our arrested friends" after the operation against the Free Press in 2011. Acar said: “I was 15 years old at that time, what Gök said impressed me a lot and gave me courage in my desire to be a journalist.”

 

'LET'S RAISE THE VOICE OF THE TRUTH'

 

Underlining that everyone should embrace Free Press workers for the truth, Acar said: “Everyone who calls himself a democrat should not remain silent against the attacks, this is everyone's duty. If the attacks against the Free Press are not heard today, there may be no institution left to report on the total attacks against the dynamics of the society tomorrow. Let's raise the voice of truth together."

 

MA / Mehmet Güleş