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Censored
March 19
Atilim, LEGAL ACTION, CENSORED
Ismail Akkin, Atilim, LEGAL ACTION
Ozgür Genclik, LEGAL ACTION
Istanbul's State Security Court ordered the weekly paper Atilim closed for one month for allegedly disseminating "separatist propaganda." The court also sentenced Akkin, the weekly's editor, to six months in prison on the same charge. Akkin is free pending an appeal. The order also suspended Ozgür Genclik, a magazine for young people published by Atilim. CPJ urged the Turkish government to reverse the closure of Atilim and the sentencing of Akkin.
April 9
Evrensel, CENSORED
Ali Erol, Evrensel, LEGAL ACTION
An Istanbul State Security Court ordered the leftist daily Evrensel shut down for one month for charges relating to two articles it published on Aug. 30, 1995. The first article, titled "Special Forces Execution in Midyat," was ruled to have incited racism, which is in violation of Article 312 of the Penal Code. The second, "Efforts To Mediate Between Iraqi Kurdish Groups," was deemed a violation of Article 6 of the Anti-Terror Law banning the publication of "statements by terror organizations." Earlier, on April 4, Evrensel was ordered shut down for one month for "inciting hatred" and "promoting racism" in a September 1995 column about World Peace Day. The column called for an end to the fighting between the Turkish army and Kurdish rebels. The daily continued publishing pending an appeal. Also on April 9, Erol, the editor legally responsible for Evrensel, was sentenced to two years in prison and fined US$1,050 on the same charges as those made against the newspaper. On April 4, a previous two-year prison sentence against Erol was commuted to a US$60 fine. Erol remains free and the paper continues publishing pending appeals of these convictions.
May 21
Aydinlik, CENSORED
A court ordered the leftist weekly Aydinlik to cancel an article it planned to publish in its May 25 issue. The article contained allegations by a leader of Turkey's criminal underworld that Minister of Justice Mehmet Agar, formerly the national police chief, had ties to organized crime. Aydinlik complied with the court order to remove the story, but on May 24 the issue was seized at the printer anyway, on charges that it was pornographic. On May 31, police confiscated the June 1 issue of Aydinlik after a judge ruled that one of its articles insulted the judiciary. The piece, titled "Are the Judges Mehmet Agar's Personal Bodyguards?," criticized the May 24 seizure of the weekly. CPJ wrote to Turkey's Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz and condemned the ongoing government campaign against the newspaper.
June 17
Interstar, CENSORED
Channel D, CENSORED
ATV, CENSORED
Show TV, CENSORED
Channel 7, CENSORED
Can TV, CENSORED
Mega Radio, CENSORED
The Radio and Television High Board (RTUK) ordered blackouts of four television stations and issued warnings against six stations for a wide range of coverage that they deemed unacceptable. RTUK ordered Interstar Television of Istanbul to stop broadcasting for three days (June 27-29) and three other television stations -- Channel D, ATV, and Show TV, all in Istanbul -- to shut down for a day. RTUK also warned Interstar, Channel D, and Show TV that they could face another blackout for further transgressions. The RTUK also issued warnings against Channel 7 of Istanbul, Can TV of Diyarbakir, and Mega Radio of Adapazari. A warning is the first step toward a blackout. Interstar was accused of "going overboard" in its criticism of a public figure, aired during a news bulletin on April 25. ATV was reprimanded for a May 29 newscast that reported on a controversial trial. The board said that ATV had violated a court order not to report the proceedings. Channel D and Show TV were accused of violating an article of the radio and television law banning programs that "could harm the psychological development of children and youth." Channel D had aired a magazine show about ghosts and spirits, and Show TV had aired a program about genies.
July 19
Can TV, CENSORED
Diyarbakir-based Can TV was warned by the Radio and Television High Board (RTUK) not to use the Kurdish language in news broadcasts. A Can TV official said that Kurdish was used only when local interviewees were responding to questions. A second warning from the RTUK could result in a one-day blackout of the station.
For more information contact mideastweb@cpj.org