P24: Journalists in state of emergency in Turkey

P24 – 5 November 2016

Nine executives and writers of the Cumhuriyet daily, including Editor-in-Chief Murat Sabuncu, one of the founders of P24 Platform for Independent Journalism, were put under arrest on Nov. 5 on terrorism charges.

Those arrested were Editor-in-Chief Murat Sabuncu, Editorial Advisor Kadri Gürsel, Chief Editor of the paper’s book supplement Turhan Günay, Cartoonist Musa Kart, columnist Güray Tekin Öz, columnist Hakan Karasinir and Cumhuriyet Foundation board members Mustafa Kemal Güngör, Önder Çelik and Bülent Utku.

The nine Cumhuriyet journalists were detained on Oct. 31 on charges of “committing crimes on behalf of the terrorist organizations Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the Fethuhallist Terrorist Organization/Parallel State Structure (FETÖ/PYD),” the name given by the Turkish president and judiciary to supporters of Fethullah Gülen, a US based Islamic preacher, who Turkish authorities allege was behind the coup attempt of July 15.

Two accountants of the newspaper, Günseli Özaltay and Bülent Yener, who were also detained on Oct. 31, were released. Two other detainees -- columnists Aydın Engin and Hikmet Çetinkaya -- were let go on probation, with authorities citing old age and the two writers’ health condition as the reason for their release.

The newspaper’s former Editor-in-Chief Can Dündar and Cumhuriyet Foundation Executive Board President Akın Atalay, who are currently abroad, are also wanted in the investigation.

The Cumhuriyet operation has created a strong backlash both at home and abroad. Thousands gathered outside the newspaper’s office in İstanbul’s Şişli district. Fourteen leading global rights and freedom of expression groups released a statement addressed to the Turkish president calling for the immediate release of the detained journalists. Consuls representing EU countries visited the newspaper’s office to show solidarity. On Nov. 5, the Republican People’s Party (CHP) convened an emergency meeting of its Central Steering Committee (MYK) after the arrests.

Other detentions, internet blockage and arrests

Outside the Cumhuriyet probe, the İzmir correspondent of the JINHA news agency Ayşe Yılmaz was detained by police in İzmir on Nov. 4.

The Cumhuriyet arrests come one day after nine deputies from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), including the party’s co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksdağ, were arrested and sent to prison.

The ambassadors of EU countries to Ankara held an emergency meeting in the aftermath the arrests of the HDP deputies and Cumhuriyet journalists on Nov. 5.

On Nov. 5, the Information Technologies and Communications Council (BTK) sent an order to the country’s Internet Service Providers, telling them to shut down access to VPN services, used to circumvent Internet access bans. Those the BTK demanded that be closed down were: The Tor Project, VPN Master, Hotspot Shield VPN, Psiphon, Zenmate VPN, TunnelBear, Zero VPN, VyprVPN, Private Internet Access VPN, Express VPN and IPVanish VPN; the most widely used VPN services by Turkish users.

The BTK order comes one day after Turkey experienced a nationwide Internet blockage. On Nov. 4, access to all social media services, including the messaging service Whatssapp, were blocked inTurkey. In the final week of October, many Eastern and Southeastern provinces, primarily Diyarbakır, had experienced Internet blockages. Access bans in Turkey are common and it is well-known that authorities use Internet throttling extensively to keep users offline, hoping that such throttling would lead to less reaction than outright blockages.

Two outlets allowed to resume broadcasts

YÖN Radio, a left-leaning radio station, and children’s television station Zarok TV, which were shut down under a prime ministry decree in late October, were allowed to resume broadcasts on Nov. 5. However, Zarok TV, a Kurdish-language children’s network, will have to ensure that 40 percent of its broadcasts are in Turkish.
With the return of Zarok and Yön, the number of media outlets shut down under Turkey’s State of Emergency has dropped to 166 from 168.

Journalists arrested under State of Emergency as part of coup investigation

Abdullah Kılıç, Meydan columnist
Abdullah Özyurt, Zaman Newspaper reporter
Ahmet Altan
Ahmet Memiş, Journalist, Haberdar newssite
Ahmet Metin Sekizkardeş, Zaman newspaper
Ahmet Turan Alkan, Zaman columnist
Ahmet Yavaş, TRT (Erzurum)
Alaattin Güner, Cihan News Agency media director
Alaattin Kaya, Formerly owned rights to Zaman
Ali Akkuş, Zaman, general publications editor
Ali Bulaç, Zaman Newspaper columnist
Ali Ünal, Zaman columnist
Atilla Taş, Meydan Newspaper columnist
Ayşe Nazlı Ilıcak, Yarına Bakış
Ayşenur Parıldak, Zaman
Aytekin Gezici, Journalist
Aziz İstegün, Diyarbakır Zaman regional representative
Bayram Kaya, Zaman reporter
Bayram Parlak, Radyo Cihan (Diyarbakır)
Bünyamin Köseli, Aksiyon Magazine reporter
Cemal Azmi Kalyoncu, Journalists and Writers Foundation
Cihan Acar, Bugün reporter
Cihat Ünal, Antalya Zaman reporter
Cuma Kaya, Zaman Newspaper
Cuma Ulus, Millet Newspaper publications coordinator
Cumali Önal, Zaman, in charge of Arabic editions
Eda Şanlı, owner of local Antalya newspaper and columnist for Bizim Antalya
Emre Soncan, Zaman defense reporter
Ercan Gün, Fox TV News editor
Erdal Şen, Meydan newspaper managing editor
Faruk Akkan, Cihan News Agency journalist
Fevzi Yazıcı, Zaman Newspaper
Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu, Türksolu columnist
Gültekin Avcı
Habip Güler, Zaman reporter
Hakan Taşdelen
Halil İbrahim Mert, TRT (Erzurum)
Hanım Büşra Erdal, Zaman reporter and columnist
Haşim Söylemez, Aksiyon Magainze columnist
Hüseyin Aydın, Cihan reporter
Hüseyin Turan, Zaman columnist
İbrahim Balta, Zaman business news editor
ibrahim Kareyeğen, Zaman managing editor
İsa Siyi, Haberdar news site
Kenan Baş, Antalya Zaman reporter
Lalezar Sarıibrahimoğlu (Lale Kemal), Zaman columnistt
Lokman Erdoğan, Çorum Manşet (Antalya) owner and columnist
Mehmet Altan
Mehmet Dener, Şanlıurfa.com sitesi yayın yönetmeni
Mehmet Kuru, Zaman Eskişehir reporter
Mehmet Özdemir, Zaman
Muhammet Taşçılar, Sanliurfa.com website editor-in-chief
Murat Aksoy, Yeni Şafak columnist
Murat Avcıoğlu, Zaman
Murat Öztürk, Çorum Manşet (Antalya) managing editor
Mustafa Erkan Acar, Bugün news manager
Mustafa Ünal, Ankara Burea Chief of Zaman
Mutlu Çölgeçen, Millet newsroom coordinator
Mümtazer Türköne, Zaman columnist
Nuri Durna, TRT
Nuriye Ural (Akman), Zaman columnist
Nurullah Kaya, G.antep Zaman regional representative
Olgun Matur, Antalya journalist
Osman Yakut, Zaman Antalya
Özkan Mayda, Antalya Zaman reporter
Ramazan Alkan, Yeni Akit reporter
Resul Cengiz, Eski Zaman Denizli reporter
Seyid Kılıç, TRT Haber
Şahin Alpay, Zaman columnist
Şeref Yılmaz, Irmak TV
Tuncer Çetinkaya, Zaman Antalya regional representative
Ufuk Şanlı, columnist for Vatan newspaper
Vahit Yazgan, İzmir Zaman regional representative
Vedat Demir, Yarına Bakış Columnist
Yakup Çetin, Zaman Reporter
Yakup Şimşek, Zaman marketing manager
Yalçın Güler, TRT (Erzurum)
Yener Dönmez, Habervaktim newssite
Yetkin Yıldız, Aktif Haber
Zafer Özsoy

Journalists arrested in Cumhuriyet operation on Nov. 5, 2016
Murat Sabuncu, Editor-in-Chief
Kadri Gürsel, Editorial Advisor
Turhan Günay, Chief Editor of the paper’s book supplement
Musa Kart, Cartoonist
Güray Tekin Öz, columnist
Hakan Karasinir, columnist
Mustafa Kemal Güngör, Cumhuriyet Foundation board member
Önder Çelik, Cumhuriyet Foundation board member
Bülent Utku, Cumhuriyet Foundation board member

Journalists taken into custody as part of coup probe

Abdullah Katırcıoğlu, Legal status after detention unknown
Emre Koçali, Haberdar, Legal status after detention unknown
Erkan Büyük, Haberdar, Legal status after detention unknown
Özcan Keser, TRT İstanbul, Legal status after detention unknown

Journalists released after being held as part of coup probe under State of Emergency

Abdullah Alparslan Akkuş, former NTV news editor, Released after being questioned by prosecutor
Arda Akın, Hürriyet reporter, released by court after objection to arrest ruling
Ayhan Şimşek, Released on probation
Bülent Mumay, former Hürriyet digital publications coordinator, released after court arraignment
Dinçer Gökçe, Hürriyet internet editor, Released on probation
Hakan Bülent Yardımcı, Released on probation
Hilmi Yavuz, Zaman columnist, released due to poor health, secheduled to testify later in the investigation
İhsan Duran Dağı, Zaman columnist, Released after being questioned by prosecutor
İskender Yunus Tiryaki,Bugün reporter , Released on probation
Levent Arap, Postmedya.com site executive, Released on probation
Mehmet Gündem, former Milliyet columnist, released after arraignment
Nurullah Öztürk,former Yeni Şafak general coordinator and Zaman columnist, Released after being questioned by prosecutor
Osman Nuri Arslan, FİA finance company partner, Released on probation
Osman Nuri Öztürk, Released on probation
Ömer Şahin ,Meydan newspaper’s former Ankara bureau chief, Released after being questioned by prosecutor
Rasih Yılmaz,Samanyoluhaber columnist, Released after being questioned by prosecutor
Rıfat Söylemez, Adana Haber, Released after arraignment
Taner Talaş, Adana Yerel, Released under electronic monitoring
Yakup Sağlam, Samanyolu reporter, Released on probation
Yüksel Evsen, Adana journalist, Released on probation
Zeki Önal, Not detained due to advanced age and poor health


Journalists being sought in coup probe by judiciary

Asım Yıldırım, STV anchor
Ayşe Özkalay, Yeni Hayat columnist
Behçet Akyar
Bilal Şahin, Özgür Düşünce
Bülent Ceyhan, Özgür Düşünce
Bülent Keneş, Former Today's Zaman editor-in-chief
Bülent Korucu, Zaman columnist
Can Bahadır Yüce, Zaman columnist
Celil Sağır,Today's Zaman managing editor
Cevheri Güven, Nokta Magazine editor-in-chief
Ergun Babahan
Erhan Başyurt, Bugün editor-in-chief
Erkan Akkuş, BUGÜN TV
Ertuğrul Erbaş, Former Nokta editor
Eyüp Can Sağlık, former Radikal editor-in-chief
Faruk Arslan, Zaman columnist
Faruk Kardıç
Fatih Akalan, Samanyolu Haber TV commentator
Fatih Yağmur, former Radikal reporter
Hamit Bilici, Zaman Editor-in-Chief
Hamit Çiçek
Hasan Cücük, Zaman reporter
Hüseyin Döğme
İbrahim Öztürk, Zaman columnist
İhsan Yılmaz, Today's Zaman columnist
Kamil Maman, Bugün reporter
Kemal Gülen, STV anchor
Kerim Balcı, Turkish Review editor-in-chief
Kerim Gün, Zaman editor
Levent Kenez, Meydan editor-in-chief
Mahmut Akpınar, Millet columnist
Mahmut Hazar, Cihan News Agency
Mehmet Akif Afşar
Mehmet Kamış, Zaman columnist
Melih Kılıç, Zaman Media Group Sales Department employee
Metin Tamer Gökçeoğlu
Metin Yıkar, Samanyolu Haber
Muhammed Fatih Uğur, Zaman news editor
Mürsel Genç, Cihan reporter
Nevzat Güner
Oktay Vızvız
Osman Özsoy, Rota Haber columnist, academic
Ömer Karakaş
Önder Deligöz, former Yeni Şafak reporter
Sait Sefa, Haberdar
Savaş Genç, former TRT reporter and academic
Sedat Yetişkin
Selahattin Sevi, Zaman photography editor
Selçuk Gültaşlı, Zaman Brussels representative
Sevgi Akarçeşme, Today’s Zaman editor-in-chief
Süleyman Sargın
Şemsettin Efe
Şenol Kahraman
Turan Görüryılmaz, Can Erzincan TV anchor
Turhan Bozkurt, Zaman columnist
Ufuk Emin Köroğlu, Karşı Gazete reporter
Veysel Ayhan
Yavuz Baydar, Haberdar.com columnist
Yonca Kaya Şahin, Rotahaber online news site columnist

Journalists detained under State of Emergency outside coup probe
Selami Aslan – DİHA, Released
Selman Keleş – DİHA, Under arrest
İdris Yılmaz – DİHA, Under arrest
Mehmet Sıddık Damar – DİHA, Released
Esra Aydın – JİNHA, Released
Geylan Arslan – JİNHA, Released
Nizamettin Yılmaz – Azadiya Welat, Under arrest
İdris Yılmaz – DİHA, Under arrest
Haydar Ergül – Demokratik Modernite, Under arrest
Hasan Akbaş – Evrensel, Released
Fırat Topal – Evrensel, Released
Serpil Berk – Evrensel, Released
Sertaç Kayar – Serbest Gazeteci, Released
Engin Eren – DİHA, Released on probation
Fatma Edemen – ETHA, Released
Davut Uçar– Özgür Gündem, Released
Doğan Güzel– Özgür Gündem, Released
Ersin Çaksu – Özgür Gündem, Released
Günay Aksoy – Özgür Gündem, Released
Kemal Bozkurt – Özgür Gündem, Released
Reyhan Hacıoğlu – Özgür Gündem, Released
Önder Elaldı – Özgür Gündem, Released
Ender Önder – Özgür Gündem, Released
Sinan Balık – Özgür Gündem, Released
Fırat Yeşilçınar – Özgür Gündem, Released
Özgür Paksoy – DİHA reporter, Released
Zeki Erden – Özgür Gündem, Released
Elif Aydoğmuş – Özgür Gündem, Released
Ersin Çaksu – Özgür Gündem, Released
Mesut Kaynar – DİHA, Released
Sevdiye Gürbüz – Özgür Gündem, Released
Amine Demirkıran – Özgür Gündem, Released
Bayram Balcı – Özgür Gündem, Released
Burcu Özkaya – Özgür Gündem, Released
Yılmaz Bozkurt –Press Office of Chamber of Medicine, Released
Gülfem Karataş – İMC TV, Released
Gökhan Çetin – İMC TV, Released
Hüseyin Gündüz – Doğu Yayınevi , Released
Halil Polat – Freelancer, Under arrest
Sabahattin Koyuncu – DİHA, Under arrest
Cemil Uğur – Evrensel, Under arrest
Yasemin Sayın– Azadiya Welat, Under arrest
Hayat Yılmaz– Azadiya Welat, Under arrest
Ahmet Kızılaya– Azadiya Welat, Released
Arap Turan– Azadiya Welat,Under arrest
Berxwedan Tulpar– Azadiya Welat, Released
Sürreya Dal– Azadiya Welat, Released
Zeynep İzgi– Azadiya Welat, Released on probation
İbrahim Bayram– Azadiya Welat, Released on probation
Engin Özelçi– Azadiya Welat, Released on probation
Ahmet Boltan– Azadiya Welat, Released
Ceylan İpek– Azadiya Welat, Released
Mehmet Emin Kaya– Azadiya Welat, Released
Ziyan Karahan– Azadiya Welat, Released
Veysi Altın– Azadiya Welat, Released
Ercan Yeltaş– Azadiya Welat, Released
Azime Tarhan– Azadiya Welat, Released
Serdal Polat– Azadiya Welat, Released on probation
Cengiz Aslan– Azadiya Welat, Released
Ferit Toprak– Azadiya Welat, Under arrest
Mehmet Hüseyin Şahin– Azadiya Welat, Released
Mehmet Aydın– Azadiya Welat, Released
Pusat Bulut– Azadiya Welat, Released on probation
Mehmet Emin Akgün – Azadiya Welat, Released
Mecrum Tokal, Azadiya Welat (Released to be detained again on the same day), In custody
Mehmet Ali Ertaş – DİHA, In custody
Arjin Dilek -- DİHA, Released
Beritan İrlan -- DİHA,Released
Journalists arrested during State of Emergency outside coup probe
Zeynel Abidin Bulut – Azadiya Welat
Zehra Doğan – JİNHA
Hülya Karakaya – Özgür Halk
Mehmet Arslan – DİHA
Şermin Soydan – DİHA
Lindsey Snell – Freelancer
Aslı Erdoğan – Özgür Gündem
Metin Bekiroğlu – DİHA
İnan Kızılkaya – Özgür Gündem
Zana (Bilir) Kaya – Özgür Gündem
Erdem Muhirci – DİHA
Ali Aşikar – Azadiya Welat
Necmiye Alpay – Özgür Gündem
Sabahattin Koyuncu - DİHA
Arap Turan - Azadiya Welat
Ferit Toprak - Azadiya Welat
Rabia Özkaya - Özgür Halk
Şirin Çoban – Azadiya Welat
İlker İlkan – Azadiya Welat
Cemil Uğur – Evrensel
Mehmet Anıl - ETHA
Sadık Demir – Radyo Karacadağ
Mizgin Çay – Radyo Karacadağ
Salih Erbekler – Radyo Karacadağ

List of journalists arrested before State of Emergency
Abdulkadir Turay, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter
Ali Konar, Azadiya Welat representative
Arafat Dayan, Demokratik Ulus former managing editor
Cebrail Parıltı, Anadolu Ajansı (AA) Derik reporter
Emin Demir, Freelancer
Erdal Süsem, Eylül Magazine Editor
Erol Zavar, Odak magazine’s owner
Ferhat Çiftçi, Azadiya Welat Gaziantep representative
Gurbet Çakar, Hevi women’s magazine
Hamit Dilbahar, Azadiya Welat columnist
Hatice Duman, owner of Atılım newspaper
Hidayet Karaca, President of Samanyolu Media
Kamuran Sunbat, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA)
Kenan Karavil, Radyo Dünya Editor-in-chief
Mazlum Dolan, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter

Mehmet Baransu, Taraf columnist
Mikail Barut, Özgür Halk Magazine former Editor
Miktat Algül, Mezitli FM, General broadcast coordinator
Muhammed Doğru, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter
Mustafa Gök, Ekmek ve Adalet Magazine Ankara representative
Nedim Türfent, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter
Nuri Yeşil, Azadiya Welat Dersim Temsilcisi
Özgür Amed (Ethem Çağır), Özgür Gündem columnist
Sami Tunca, Mücadele Birliği Magazine news editor
Serkan Aydemir, Bitlis Aktüel reporter
Seyithan Akyüz, Azadiya Welat Adana
Şahabettin Demir, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter
Şerife Oruç, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter
Şermin Soydan, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) reporter
Yılmaz Kahraman, Özgür Halk Magazine Editor
Ziya Ataman, Dicle News Ajansı (DİHA) Intern

List of media outlets shut down under State of Emergency decrees

TV Stations: Barış TV, Bugün TV, Can Erzincan TV, Dünya TV, Hira TV, Irmak TV, Kanal 124, Kanaltürk, MC TV, Mehtap TV, Merkür TV, Samanyolu Haber, Samanyolu TV, SRT TV, Tuna Shopping TV, Yumurcak TV, İMC TV, Hayat TV, Özgür Gün TV, Van TV, Van Genç TV, TV 10, Jiyan TV, Azadi TV, Denge TV, Mezopotamya TV and Birlik Medya TV.

News Agencies: Cihan Haber Ajansı, Muhabir Haber Ajansı, SEM Haber Ajansı, JIN, DİHA

Newspapers: Adana Haber, Adana Medya, Akdeniz Türk, Şuhut’un Sesi, Kurtuluş, Lider, İscehisar, Durum, Türkeli, Antalya, Yerel Bakış, Nazar, Batman, Batman Postası, Batman Doğuş, Bingöl Olay, İrade, İskenderun Olay, Ekonomi, Ege’de Son Söz, Demokrat Gebze, Kocaeli Manşet, Bizim Kocaeli, Haber Kütahya, Gediz, Zafer, Hisar, Turgutlu Havadis, Milas Feza, Türkiye’de Yeni Yıldız, Hakikat, Urfa Haber Ajansı, Ajans 11, Yeni Emek, Banaz Postası, Son Nokta, Merkür Haber, Millet, Bugün, Meydan, Özgür Düşünce, Taraf, Yarına Bakış, Yeni Hayat, Zaman, Today’s Zaman, Özgür Gündem, Azadiya Welat, Batman Çağdaş, CizrePostası, Güney Express,İdil Haber,Kızıltepe’nin Sesi, Prestij Haber Gazetesi, Urfanatik Gazetesi, Yüksekova Haber.

Magazines: Akademik Araştırmalar, Aksiyon, Asya Pasifik, Bisiklet Çocuk, Diyalog, Avrasya, Ekolife, Ekoloji, Fountain, Gonca, Gül Yaprağı, Nokta, Sızıntı, Yağmur, Yeni Ümit, Zirve, Evrensel Kültür Dergisi, Özgürlük Dünyası,Tiroj.

Radio stations: Aksaray Mavi, Aktüel, Berfin, Burç, Cihan, Dünya, Esra, Haber Radyo Ege, Herkül, Jest, Kanaltürk, Radyo 59, Radyo Aile Rehberi, Radyo Bamteli, Radyo Cihan, Radyo Fıkıh, Radyo Küre, Radyo Mehtap, Radyo Nur, Radyo Şemşik, Samanyolu Haber, Umut, Yağmur, Rengin Radyo, Özgür Radyo, Ses Radyo, Radyo Karacadağ, Özgür Güneş, Patnos FM and Dünya Radyo.

Publishing houses: Altınburç, Burak Basın Yayın Dağıtım, Define, Dolunay Eğitim Yayın Dağıtım, Giresun Basın Yayın Dağıtım, Gonca, Gülyurdu, GYV, Işık Akademi, Işık Özel Eğitim, İklim Basın Yayın Pazarlama, Kaydırak, Kaynak, Kervan Basın Yayıncılık, Kuşak, Muştu, Nil, Rehber, Sürat Basım Yayın Reklamcılık Eğitim Araçları, Sütun, Şahdamar, Ufuk Basın Yayın Haber Ajans Pazarlama, Ufuk, Waşanxaneya Nil, Yay Basın Dağıtım, Yeni Akademi, Yitik Hazine, Zambak Basın Yayın Eğitim Turizm.

Outlets allowed to resume broadcasts after being shut down under SoE: Zarok TV (must comply with new requirement of 40 percent of broadcasts in Turkish), Yön Radyo.

Source: http://platform24.org/en/articles/417/journalists-in-state-of-emergency---27