Monday, December 26, 2011

Freedom in Turkey: Is everything OK except journalists?


Western media talk about press freedom in Turkey nowadays. Odatv and KCK cases caused criticisms from westerm mass media to the Erdoğan Gorvenment.

There are 16 people have been arrested for armed coup denunciation with Odatv case only: Yalçın Küçük, Soner Yalçın, Barış Terkoğlu, Barış Pehlivan, Doğan Yurdakul, Müyesser Uğur, Coşkun Musluk, Sait Çakır, Ahmet Şık, Hanefi Avcı, Nedim Şener, Kaşif Kozinoğlu (died in jail), Mümtaz İdil, İklim Bayraktar. [1] Proof of the denunciations is some documents from suspecteds computers. But technical reports of experts proved that “proof”s are spam. [2]

Media shows great interest to Odatv case because these journalists are famous with opposition to Justice and Development Party(AKP). You can read a few articles in most of western media about suppressions against journalists in Turkey. 

At the same time with these arrests, tens of journalists have been arrested with denunciation of being a member of Union of Kurdistan Communities (KCK). Prosecutors claim is KCK is a par tor Kurdistan Workers Party(PKK) which fight with arms against Republic of Turkey. 

Nearly 100 journalists were arrested since 2009 in Turkey and most of them denounciated with being a member of terrorist organizations.[3]
 
Committee to Protect Journalists comdemned journalists arrests in Turkey with an open letter to Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan:
CPJ's researchers systematically investigated every one of the estimated 64 journalists in jail in your country on December 1 to determine the reason for their incarceration. While we were able to confirm in eight cases that the charges were related to journalism, we condemn the jailing of every single journalist in Turkey because of pervasive due process violations. In many instances investigated by CPJ, the judicial process itself has been opaque and the charges unsubstantiated.[4]

How about political freedom in Turkey?

I don’t want to give new examples about press suppression of the AKP Government more. But there is some problems to western approach to press freedom in Turkey.

Firstly, as i wrote before, press suppression is wider than western media want to see. Especially Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener are famous and most of people think they are “innocent”. But how about other journalists? Are they really terrorists? I don’t think so. 

The “real crime” of the most of these journalists is being against AKP Government. And not only these journalists but more of opponents of AKP and its reactionary “Second Republic” are being arrested in any time.

Please remember Hopa Case now. 22 students were arrested because of the joining mass protests against AKP.[5] Some students are in jail yet because of they want “free education” only. 

Secondly, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his staff use political and ideological violence against everyone to survive their aims. But western mass media don’t criticise these aims and implementations. 

Think about the Syria case please. Turkey is forcing Assad to make reforms for its “own people”. But everyone know that these Word came from the lips of USA. 

Nearly 7000(seven thousand) of Kurdish people have been arrested in KCK Case. Most of them are members of pro-Kurdish "Freedom and Democracy Party (BDP)". Some of them are academical persons of some universities. 

But Erdoğan, who forced Assad to make reforms, defended KCK arrests including Büşra Erşanlı, a member of the Peace and Democracy Party's (BDP) Party Council and its Constitutional Commission, Belge Publishing House representative Ragıp Zarakolu and dozens of others were accused of establishing a terrorist organization, leading a terrorist organization and membership in a terrorist organization.[6]

Ergenekon and Sledgehammer Cases

Dani Rodrik is a famous journalist on economics. His wife is doughther of Çetin Doğan who is one of the suspects of  Ergenekon and Sledgehammer Cases. You should read his article from his blog to understand how about “law” in Turkey.[7]

Western allies of AKP supported these trials and acclaimed Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a second founder of Turkey. As i wrote before:
Right to a fair trial forgotten with Ergenekon and Sledgehammer trials. Opposites of AKP were in jailed to organize a terror organization against "public sovereignity". But most of suspects were believe in different ideological approaches. Some of them were revolutionists but some others were counter-revolutionists who tortured them before.
They call this as "further democracy"... But its only the Second Republic.[8]
I wrote these article because i need to explain reality of Turkish democracy and freedom. The problem is not only about Ahmet Şık and Nedim Şener but most of journalists. The problem is not only for journalists but most of people who are against AKP policies. 

And western allies of AKP support these crimes against people. They all are colloborators of AKP suppression against people in Turkey.






2 comments:

  1. Gulen Movement is behind this.
    Take a look over at our pages to learn about the evil of the Gulen Empire and it's tyranny.
    http://www.gulencharterschools.weebly.com
    http://www.gulenschoolsworldwide.blogspot.com

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  2. I think the matter is not only Gulen Movement but a great coalition. This coalition contains bourgeoisie, Turkish Armed Forces, Gulen Movement, Justice and Development Party and even Republican People's Party...

    Please read my opinions on transition of Turkey:
    http://politicsofturkey.blogspot.com/2011/09/second-republic-of-turkey-what-is.html

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