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Think,think…

FreedomofExpressionWeeklyBulletin(Issue39/17,6October2017)

Whathappenedlastweek?

*** GNAT has started the new legislative year. Following the opening ceremony,PresidentErdoğancametogetherwiththePrimeMinister,NationalistMovementParty(MHP) leader, Chief of General Staff and the chiefs of higher judicial institutions.RepublicanPeople’sParty(CHP)leaderwasnotinvitedtothemeeting.

***People’sDemocraticParty (HDP)didnot attend the events for thenew legislativeyear, protesting for jailed HDP MPs. HDP Parliamentary Group started the newlegislative year with a press statement in front of Edirne Prison, where Demirtaşremainsarrested.

*** Erdoğan pointed to PKK center Qandil as an address for HDP MPs, due to theirabsenceinthenewlegislativeyearopening.

***“WenolongerneedmembershipoftheEuropeanUnion…However,wewillnotbetheone to throw in the towel,” stated Erdoğan. EU Commission Chairman Jean-ClaudeJuncker replied to the statement: “Ankara is trying to put the responsibility of therecordedunsuccessduringmembershipnegotiations,totheEU.”

***TurkeyandIranreachedaconsensusfollowingErdoğan’svisittoTehran.Bothstatesconsider the independence referendum of Iraqi Kurdistan Region as a “threat to theregion.”“Whateverstepisnecessary,willbetaken.WewilltakeactionforKirkuk,aswellasforMosul,”statedErdoğan.

*** Following the resignation of Kadir Topbaş, rumors suggested President Erdoğan’sdemandfortheresignationsofsomeotherAKPmayors.AnkaraMayorMelihGökçekisthemostrumoredname.Erdoğanspokeon thematter, saying, “That’snot thecase fornow,butitalsodoesn’tmeanitwon’thappeninthefuture.It’snicewhenoneisplacedinacertainposition;whyisitregardedoddwhenoneisaskedtoleavetheposition?”

***ParliamentmembershipofPeople’sDemocraticParty(HDP)SiirtMPBesimeKoncawastakenoffduetothedefinitiveimprisonmentsentenceagainsther.KoncaisthefifthHDPMPwhosemembershipistakenoff.

***U.S.IstanbulConsulateGeneralworkerMetinTopuzwasarresteddueto“espionage”withinthe‘FETÖinvestigation.’

***ThenewTurkish judge for theEuropeanCourtofHumanRights isstillnotplaced.Former judge IşılKarakaşhascompletedherservingperiodonApril30th;candidatessentmyAnkaratoreplaceKarakaşweredeniedforthesecondtimedueto“inadequacy.”

*** Academics who signed the “We will not partake in this crime” petition faceimprisonmentsentencesupto7yearsandsixmonthseach,dueto“illegalorganizationpropaganda.”

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***AyşeÇelikhasbeenconvicteddueto“illegalorganizationpropaganda”afterpointingouttheviolencesduringcurfewsinSoutheasternTurkeywiththeexpression,“donotletchildrendie.”TheconvictionofÇelikwasapproved.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TeacherAyşeÇelik’ssentenceapprovedLast year, teacher Ayşe Çelik fromDiyarbakırphonedinBeyazShowonKanal D and called for attention tothe ongoing violence in Eastern andSoutheastern cities: "Are you awareof what's going on in the east of thecountry? What's happening is notreflected in themedia.Donot remainsilent.Trytoapproachthiswithmore

sensitivity as a fellow human being. See us, hear us and give a hand. It's a pity! Peopleshouldnotdie,childrenshouldnotcry,mothersshouldnotcry."AyşeÇelikwassentencedto15months inprison for thesewordsand recentlyher sentencewasapproved.Thecivil disobedientswhoparticipated inher "crime" for solidaritywere acquitted in thefinalhearing.38 intellectuals, artists, journalists and writers on trial together with Çelik forsupportingherwereacquittedbyBakırköy2ndHighCriminalCourt.11acquittedcivildisobedientshaveobjected to their acquittal following the sentenceagainstÇelik.ThecivildisobedientsarenowpreparingtosendthefiletotheConstitutionalCourt,thentotheEuropeanCourtofHumanRights,incasetheirapplicationsdonotgiveresults.

HDPMPBesimeKoncalosesseatinParliamentPeople’s Democratic Party (HDP)WomenAssemblySpokespersonandSiirt MP Besime Konca has lost herseat in the Parliament due to thedefinitive sentence of imprisonmentagainsther.Koncawasarrestedon13December

2016togetherwithHDPGroupDeputyChairwomanÇağlarDemirelandwasreleasedon3May2017withaconditionof judicialcontrol.However,Koncawas jailedonceagainon29May2017followingtheProsecutor’sOfficeobjectionandwasreleasedagainon28 July 2017. Gaziantep Regional Court approved the 2 years and six months ofimprisonment sentence against Konca, issued by the local court due to “illegalorganizationpropaganda.”

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HDPMPsFigenYüksekdağ,NurselAydoğan,FaysalSarıyıldızandTuğbaHezerÖztürkhavelosttheirseatsintheParliamentsofar.TogetherwithKonca,HDPhas54seatsleftintheParliament,fromthe59seatsaftertheelections.NineHDPMPsarestillarrested.Ontheotherhand,RepublicanPeople’sParty(CHP)IstanbulMPEnisBerberoğluisstillinprison,servinghissentencefromthe“NationalIntelligenceAgencyTrucksCase.”

LawsuitagainstAcademicsforPeacedueto‘terroristorganizationpropaganda’Academics from Istanbul,Galatasaray, Boğaziçi, Mimar Sinan,Nişantaşı and Yeni YüzyılUniversitiesarefacing7yearsandsixmonths of imprisonment due to“terrorist organization propaganda”

bysigningthepetition,entitled,“Wewillnotpartakeinthiscrime.”Prosecutor İsmetBozkurt, conducting the investigationagainst thepetition, called thestatement of academics a “so-called peace petition” in the indictment he prepared;assertingthepetitionis“inessenceanobviousandpublicpropagandaofPKK/KCK.”Thetotalnumberofacademicsinvolvedinthecaseisnotclearlyknown,sincethelawsuitsarefiledseparatelyagainsteach.Thepetitionof the “Academics forPeace”wasannouncedwithapressmeetingon11January 2016. The petition included the signatures of more than 1128 scientists andacademics fromTurkey and 355 from abroad. 380 of the 5,577 academics,whoweredismissedfromtheirworkwithstatutorydecreesduringtheStateofEmergencyweresignatoriesofthepetition.

ECtHRsentencesTurkeyto258millionTLin12yearsTheEuropeanCourtofHumanRightshasgiven485verdictsofviolationinthe files against Turkey within thelast five years. Turkish Ministry ofJustice replied to the Parliamentaryquestion asked by Republican

People’sParty(CHP)KocaeliMPTahsinTarhanandCHPİzmirMPZeynepAltıokontherestrictionofbasicrightsand freedoms, indicatingthatTurkeyhadtopay258millionTL indemnitywithin thepast12yearsdue to theviolationverdictsbyECtHR.Turkeywas foundguilty117 times in2012,118 times in2013,94 times in2014,79 times in2015and77timesin2016.

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FreeJournalistsInitiativelaunchesSeptemberreportAccording to the report of the FreeJournalists Initiative (ÖGİ), threejournalists were taken into custodyandtwowerearrestedinSeptember.Four arrested journalists werereleased. The trials of 53 journalists

continued and four were sentenced to a total of 7 years, 8 months and 20 days ofimprisonmentinthesecases.176journalistsarestillarrestedinprison.OGISpokesmanHakkıBoltanpointedoutthatthenumberofarrestedjournalistsinTurkeyexceedsthetotalnumberofarrestedjournalistsintheworld.

IndictmentagainstSözcünewspaperdueto‘terroristorganization’Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’sOffice completed the “FETÖéinvestigation started against SözcüNewspaper.The Prosecutor’s Office claimed

sentenceagainstnewspaperownerBurakAkbaydue to “managinganarmed terroristorganization” and “making armed terrorist organization propaganda.” There is awarrant against Akbay, who, in the indictment is asserted to “have served to GülenCommunity by establishing SözcüNewspaper in secret collaboration in case of futureuse.”Thenews,reportedbythenewspaperonPresidentErdoğanbeinginMarmarisonvacationbeforethecoupattemptonJuly15th,wasalsoincludedintheindictment.Thementioned newswas claimed to have been reported “within the logistical support toease thecoupattempt.”TheProsecutor’sOfficeclaimedthat thenewspaperpublishednews in accordance with its organizational purposes, strategy and method; chargingreporterGükmenUlu, internetmanagerMedihaOlgunandaccountingmanagerYoncaKaleliwithaidingtheillegalorganizationwhilenotbeingmembersofFETÖ.

Firsthearingof‘MITTrucksCase’heldagainstAydınlıkandCumhuriyetnewspapersThefirsthearingofthelawsuitonthepublished visuals of “NationalIntelligence Agency (MIT) Trucks”

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carrying ammunition to Syria was held. Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP EnisBerberoğlu and journalists CanDündar, ErdemGül,OrhanBozkurt andMustafaYücelareontrialinthecase.ThefirsthearingwasclosedtopublicaudienceatIstanbul14thHigh Criminal Court and Berberoğlu’s lawyers claimed recusation. The hearing waspostponedto20December2017.Berberoğlu has been arrested and sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment due to“announcingconfidentialinformationregardingthedomesticandinternationalpoliticalinterests as well as the safety of state with the purpose of military or politicalespionage.”Thecourthas furtherseparatedthefileofBerberoğlufromthefilesof theotherdefendantsofthecaseDündarandGül,whoareontrialdueto“intentionallyandwillinglyaidinganarmedterroristorganizationwhilenotbeingamember.”ThefilesofBozkurt and Yücel, who are charged with “announcing confidential informationconcerning the safety and political interests of state” due to the news published onAydınlıkNewspaper,werecombinedwiththiscaseaswell.

InvestigationagainstartistFerhatTunçdueto‘insultingErdoğan’Another investigation was startedagainst artist Ferhat Tunç with theallegation that he has insultedPresident Erdoğan. Bursa ChiefPublicProsecutor’sOfficestartedtheinvestigation following adenouncement made to Prime

MinistryCommunicationCenter(BIMER).TwitterpostsofTunçwereconsidered‘crimeevidence.’There were more than 100 investigations against the artist due to “terroristorganizationpropaganda”and“insultingthePresident.”ItwaslaterrevealedthatErgünİsmailErol,whomade thedenouncementatBIMER,wrote in theapplication letter: “Idenouncethisinsolent.Idemandexecution.”Tunçmadeacriminalcomplaintagainstthedenouncer,whodemandedhisexecution.“ThecriticismsImakeoncurrentdevelopmentsbeing considered as insults and as matters of investigation is not compliant with thecriteriaoffreedomofexpressionandthought,”statedTunç.

Sign taken down inMehmedUzunParkThe trustee, assigned atDiyarbakır’sYenişehirMunicipalitytoreplacetheformerMayor,orderedtotakedownthe name sign of a park in the townand the memorial inside. The parkwas named after one of the most

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important Kurdish writers, Mehmed Uzun; and thememorial included a verse in the‘HilbeAgrî’anthemaswellasKurdishletters.AuthorİrfanBabaoğlureactedtothesituationbypointingoutthat11October2017isthe tenth anniversary of Uzun’s death,who stated, in his lifetime: “I am awriter of abanned language.” “Thisattack isoneof therevivedapplicationsofdenegationpolitics,”saidBabaoğlu.

Nol-pros in deaths inbasementsofCizreCriminal complaints made for thosekilled in the basements of buildingsin Cizre, Şırnak while taking shelterduring curfews continue to concludewith non-prosecution. The reasonsfor non-prosecution in applicationsof familiesof thosekilledarealwaysthesame.

CizreChiefPublicProsecutor’sOfficehas issued34verdictsofnon-prosecutionso far,claiming that those who were killed were “illegal organization members.” TheProsecutor’sOffice further claimed that “therewere legitimate reasons in the incident”and “security forces have acted in accordance with self defense.” The only basis of theProsecutor’sOffice for theseclaimsaresecretwitnesstestimonies.Approximately150peoplewereburned todeath in thebasementsof threedifferentbuildingsduring thecurfewinCizredistrictofŞırnak,announcedbetween14December2015and2March2016.

THISWEEKONTHEMUSEUMOFCRIMESOFTHOUGHT

StaytunedFollowtheagendainthemostentertainingwaywithourregularlyupdatedmuseum.

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PoliticsunderstateofemergencyState of emergency bans continue. Governorate ofAnkara announced a ban on all sit-ins,commemorations, concerts and similar public eventsfor a month. A similar ban will be practised in VanthroughOctober.HDP Women's Assembly Spokesperson and Siirt MPBesime Konca's membership to the parliament wasannulledduetotheapprovedimprisonmentsentence.HDP Şanlıurfa MP and spokesperson Baydemir wassentenced to1 year5months inprison for "insultingthe police officer". Mardin Artuklu Co-Mayor Sevinç

BozanandMersinAkdenizCo-MayorMehmetFazılTürkwerearrested.

FreedomofExpressionNew cases against the freedom of expression comeone after another. The FETÖ investigation againstSözcü daily is completed and an indictment waspreparedagainst fouremployeesof thedaily.At thefirst hearing of the "MIT (National IntelligenceAgency) Trucks" case, Berberoğlu's attorneysdemandedthejudgetoberecused.Anew lawsuit against theAcademics forPeacewasfiled.7years6monthsimprisonmentonthechargesof "organization propaganda" is demanded for theacademicians from İstanbul, Galatasaray, Boğaziçi,MimarSinan,NişantaşıandYeniYüzyıluniversities.

AyşeÇelik'ssentenceof15monthsinprisonwasapprovedbythecourt.Birgündaily'seditorBarışİncewasacquittedonthechargeof"insultingthePresident".Hunger-striking educators Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça who have passed thecritical point in their strike had a hearing lastweek. Therewas no decision for theirrelease,ÖzakçagavehisdefensestatementwhileGülmenwasnotbroughttocourtfromtheICUshewaslockedinrecently.

TRIALSOFFREEDOMOFEXPRESSION

● Thefirsthearingofthelawsuitonthepublishedvisualsof“NationalIntelligenceAgency (MIT) Trucks” carrying ammunition to Syria was held. RepublicanPeople’sParty(CHP)MPEnisBerberoğluandjournalistsCanDündar,ErdemGül,OrhanBozkurtandMustafaYücelareontrial in thecase.The firsthearingwas

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closedtopublicaudienceatIstanbul14thHighCriminalCourtandBerberoğlu’slawyersclaimedrecusation.The fileofBerberoğluwillbesent to Istanbul15thHigh Criminal Court following the claim of recusation. The hearing waspostponedto20December2017.

● TheproceedingofpublicofficersontheassassinationofAgosNewspaperEditor-In-Chief Hrant Dink continued at Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court. TheProsecutor’sOfficeclaimedthereleaseoffourarresteddefendants.Thehearingwasstillgoingonasthebulletinwasbeingprepared.

TrialsNextWeek

● ThefirsthearingofthecaseagainstarrestedEtkinNewsAgency(ETHA)reporterandtranslatorMeşaleToludueto“illegalorganizationpropaganda”and“illegalorganizationmembership”willbeheldonOctober11th,at09:30atIstanbul29thHighCriminalCourt.Toluwillstandtrialwith18people,15ofthemarrested.

(*)Youmayfinddetailsonthefileswe’retrackingbyclickinghere:http://ctl-

tr.net/?dil=tr