‘We must stand in solidarity against oppression on Özgür Gündem’
Chief editors of Cumhuriyet, Evrensel, BirGün and Yurt newspapers have expressed the need for standing together against the oppression on Özgür Gündem newspaper.
Reacting against the shutting down of Özgür Gündem newspaper by a decision of the İstanbul 8th Criminal Court of Peace and arrest of their staff and journalists in battering, chief editors of Cumhuriyet, Evrensel, BirGün, and Yurt newspapers have expressed the need to stand together and called on unity against oppression.
‘Journalism is not a crime’
Stating that Turkey is going through tough times, Yurt newspaper chief editor Sibel Köklü said: “A journalist reports news for the benefit of the public. In democracies, media is the fourth power. But, in Turkey, it has begun to lose this aspect of it and they expect journalists to report within the lines of government’s permission. Journalism is not a crime though! Problems cannot be solved through shutting down of newspapers and arrests of journalists; views cannot be suppressed.”
Also emphasizing the need for raising a voice against the oppression on Özgür Günem newspaper, Köklü added, “Under these kinds of circumstances, we must stand by each other.”
‘A result of national consensus’
Our newspaper BirGün’s chief editor İbrahim Varlı has defined the shut-down of Özgür Gündem as a result of the ‘fascism of national consensus’. Pointing out that AKP has been aiming to silence all voices in opposition by also trying to turn the coup attempt into an opportunity, Varlı said, because of the power struggle of the two actors (AKP and Gülenists), leftists, opposition groups, and Kurds are targeted as groups to be suppressed. Expressing that there is a need for a new line of togetherness among these groups, Varlı said: “Fighting against the so-called national consensus of today is a duty of all leftist, socialist, and opposition groups. And, in this regard, being in solidarity with Özgür Gündem is our duty!”
‘Özgür Gündem is stronger than the oppressor’
Comparing this latest point reached to the era of ‘Takrir-i Sükun’ (the ‘law on maintenance of calmness’ passed in 1925), Evrensel newspaper’s chief editor Fatih Polat said: “At that time, with the reason of suppressing the Sheikh Said rebellion, the Takrir-I Sükun law was passed in March of 1925; and, all publications in opposition were closed down. Nazım Hikmet had to leave the country and he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. And, today, in the name of fight against the Gülen community that attempted a coup, state of emergency has been declared. Now, shutting down of Özgür Gündem; a coup-style raid carried out in its office building; and arrests of its journalists and staff show that the state’s century old understanding of ‘ruling’ persists.”
Continuing his statements, Polat added: “Also, if the question at stake is about Özgür Gündem newspaper, we know that this is definitely a part of the government’s insisting approach with regards to leading a policy on the Kurdish issue in an oppressive and violent way. Appointments of trustees to municipalities of BDP; arrests of HDP executives; HDP MPs being under the risk of arrest; and shutting down of Özgür Gündem are all things that complete one another. However, the sons of Ape Musa, who have come forth with the message of ‘we are not going to give in’ even after such big blow and despite everything, have proved that they are much stronger than the oppressor.”
‘It is a time when all media can be silenced’
Describing the latest incident as an expansion of state of emergency onto media, the chief editor of Cumhuriyet newspaper Aydın Engin said the pressure on the media will rise: “We are headed towards to a phase where all media in opposition will be silenced. I think, doing this to Özgür Gündem primarily is not a coincidence. Once the AKP government wipes out the Gülen community – and, it will indeed be completed soon -, it will direct itself towards the Kurdish political movement; the government has revealed this intention very clearly. Isolation of HDP from all sorts of parliamentarian activity is in itself enough of a proof for that. We have to be prepared for difficult – very difficult – days ahead. We must stand side by side against oppression.”
Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-