Cansu Pişkin, İstanbul – Three former executives of Hayatın Sesi Television, a now-defunct station which was shut down by government decree, were found guilty of making propaganda for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, Kurdistan Freedom Hawks and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The three executives, Mustafa Kara, İsmail Gökhan Bayram and Gökhan Çetin, were each sentenced to 3 years and 9 months imprisonment. The case concerns Hayatın Sesi Television’s coverage of terrorist bombings in İstanbul and Ankara.
The hearing was monitored by multiple representatives of Turkish organizations focused on press freedom and human rights. In attendance was the Co-Director of the Media and Law Studies Association Barış Altıntaş, Sebla Arcan from the Human Rights Association, President of the Turkey Journalists Union Gökhan Durmuş, International Press Institute (IPI) Turkey Advocacy Coordinator Caroline Stockford, Reporters Without Borders’ Turkey representative Erol Önderoğlu, People's Republican Party (CHP) MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu and former CHP MP Barış Yarkadaş.
The prosecution requested a sentence of 13 years imprisonment for each defendant. Devrim Avcı, a lawyer representing the three executives, rose to provide an impassioned defense. Avcı remarked that the court seemed unwilling to enforce the requirements of Article 7 of the Turkish Civil Code in this case. She went on to note that multiple other media outlets had also covered the bombing of Ankara Train Station and other terrorist bombings in İstanbul and Ankara.
Avcı noted that it is the obligation of a journalist to report the news. “You don't become a member of a terrorist organization when you cover the story of a terrorist attack. The bombing of the parliament and tanks on the Bosphorus Bridge were broadcasted live on every national television. Just like you cannot claim that ATV made propaganda for FETÖ, you cannot claim that my clients made propaganda for others. If you consider all criticism as insulting the president, insulting the minister or terrorist propaganda, that is a hypocritical stance.” Avcı then requested the acquittal of her clients, arguing that no crime had been committed.
Although the court chose to sentence the three defendants to 3 years and 9 months imprisonment, no arrest warrant was issued. The defendant’s lawyers are expected to appeal the decision.
Updated: December 5 2018
