Still tense. Aftermath of journalist arrests…

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IFEX: Forward your Concerns to Justice Minister Ergin

from Bianet :: English
International journalism and human rights organizations condemned the arrests of journalists Şener and Şık. The freedom of expression organization IFEX called for the release of the journalists and for sending appeals to Justice Minister Ergin by fax and mail.

 

Trust is gone

by JOOST LAGENDIJK
Looking back at the last couple of days and the multitude of comments about the latest wave of arrests in the Ergenekon case, it is clear that these investigations have reached the limit: the limit of understanding and tolerance by those who once defended the case strongly because they believed it was part of an effort to deal with the shady past and make Turkey more democratic. 

Ergenekon case perfect versus Ergenekon case rubbish

by ORHAN KEMAL CENGİZ
There is incredibly tense polarization surrounding the Ergenekon case in Turkey. For some, everything and anything about this case is wrong.

Journalists arrested, media taken hostage

by YAVUZ BAYDAR
It would have sufficed to write that the recent arrests of two of my colleagues, Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener, is a misstep that shows how much press freedoms are in danger in Turkey and that the threat against journalists have reached despotic dimensions. It would have eased my conscience.

 

Turkish justice minister comments on arrests of journalists

from Hurriyet Dailynews by ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News
Taking journalists into custody could be considered a ‘coup on the press’ if no one else is targeted, Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said Sunday.

Court orders two journalists held on terrorist conspiracy charge
Reporters without borders (press release)
A teacher at Istanbul’s Bilgi university and contributor to newspapers such as Milliyet, Cumhuriyet and Bianet, Sik has written several books about the Ergenekon case and is currently working on a report about alleged infiltration of the police by the

Turkey: Ankara Coup Investigation Credibility Under Attack | EurasiaNet.org

 

Ergenekon?s 18th wave debate

by FATMA DİŞLİ ZIBAK
In the wake of the 18th wave of the investigation into Ergenekon — a shadowy crime network with alleged links within the state suspected of plotting to topple the government — which led to the arrest of journalists, including Nedim Şener and Ahmet Şık, some circles continue to connect the development to the government.

Journalists and arrests

by ETYEN MAHÇUPYAN
The searches and arrests that are being carried out as part of the Ergenekon investigation are very close to exceeding the threshold of legitimacy. Several other people with links to the website odatv.com have been detained following the arrest of Soner Yalçın, the owner of the website.

Justice on trial

by ANDREW FINKEL
Imagine if in the middle of the Watergate investigation, the special prosecutor issued arrest warrants for Woodward and Bernstein, the investigative journalists who first sniffed a rat. The natural conclusion would be that the judicial system had done a flip and that it had dedicated itself to pursuing the innocent and protecting the guilty. This gives you an idea of the cloud of confusion that now hovers over Turkey where the credibility of the Ergenekon conspiracy trial is very much on the line.

 

Anxiety in the neighborhood

by MEHMET BARANSU
Our neighborhood (the media) has been overwhelmed by anxiety after the raid of the headquarters of a news portal, odatv.com, which was practicing journalism with racism, hatred, defamation, slander, lies and manipulation. 

Ergenekon detentions

by AHMET KEKEÇ
Journalist Mehmet Baransu is being tried, facing a possible prison sentence of 100 years, and journalist Şamil Tayyar faces a prison sentence of 50 years over their coverage of the Ergenekon case.

Concern as Turkish journalists charged with terrorism
euronews
But prosecutor Zekeriya Öz said the action had nothing to do with the men’s writings. He is heading an investigation into the shadowy ultra-nationalist Ergenekon group over allegations that its members are plotting to bring down the government.

Arrests made too easily in Turkey, experts say
Hurriyet Daily News
A new wave of arrests last week as part of the ongoing Ergenekon case, which increased the number of journalists in prison from 61 to 68, sparked a huge public outcry, also putting the arrests under scrutiny. Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin said Monday

 

2011-03-07 “Climate of Fear” heating up in Turkey: More journalists arrested

from WL Central by knowledgeempire

Over the course of the past 2 days, a Turkish court has reportedly ordered a writer and 6 journalists to be remanded in custody for alleged membership in an anti-government terrorist organization (Ergenekon). Odatv.com reports that a total of 15 journalists who write for the Turkish anti-government web site have been detained as a result of the “Odatv raid,” which apparently revealed connections with Ergenekon. Yet Odatv reporters insist that the relationship between the suspects and Ergenekon is one of friendship and not active involvement.

 

Turkey accused of stifling political critics

from FT.com – World, Europe
Detentions fuel fears that two probes, into a network known as Ergenekon and an alleged military plot named Sledgehammer, are being used to curb opposition

Phone records show close contact between Odatv’s Yalçın, journalist Şener
Today’s Zaman
Şener was arrested earlier this week as part of the Ergenekon investigation. Ergenekon is a clandestine criminal network charged with plotting to overthrow the government through large-scale chaos. Prosecutors involved in the investigation questioned

Zaman reporter accused of violating trial secrecy
Today’s Zaman
Yet another case has been filed against a reporter in relation to coverage of the Ergenekon case, with a recent indictment against Zaman reporter Aslıhan Aydın over her report on a panel discussion in which some Cumhuriyet daily columnists alluded to

Latest journalist arrests dominate Turkish politics
www.worldbulletin.net
Leaders of the main political parties have remained focused on the latest wave of arrests as part of the ongoing Ergenekon investigation, with some blaming the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government for the arrests and others calling on

 

Turkish gov’t trying to ‘destroy journalists,’ arrested reporter claims

from Hurriyet Dailynews by ISTANBUL – Daily News with Milliyet
One of the journalists arrested in connected with an alleged coup plot has accused the government in a letter to his family of trying to ‘destroy journalists like us.’

 

Ottoman-era Armenians added to list of slain Turkish journalists

from Hurriyet Dailynews by ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News
The Contemporary Journalists Association, or ÇGD, adds 10 journalists of Armenian origin killed in 1915 to its list of slain journalists in Turkey. The association will hold a ceremony April 24, the date when some countries commemorate the alleged Armenian genocide in Ottoman lands

Ergenekon reloaded ? or a leap of McCarthyism

from Hurriyet Dailynews by HDN
It seems to me that the Ergenekon probe, which is so crucial for Turkish democracy, has just taken a worrying leap into a very speculative phase.

 

Turkey on trial

from Hurriyet Dailynews by HDN
The European Parliament?s report on Turkey will be voted on this week. It will highlight broader concerns with Turkey?s lack of media freedom.

Media self-censorship: not just a problem for Turkey | Michael White

from World news: Turkey | guardian.co.uk by Michael White

While us hacks in Britain do not fear a dawn knock at the door ? as some of our Turkish colleagues do ? we should not feel too pleased with ourselves

I was horrified yesterday to read that the supposedly moderate Islamic party now ruling Turkey has begun silencing critics. Not just its secular enemies, we knew about that, but previous sympathisers who nonetheless believe that governments should not be above the law or political accountability.

 

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