CASE OF TUŞALP v. TURKEY – European Court of Human Rights

http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/view.asp?item=1&portal=hbkm&action=html&highlight=TURKEY&sessionid=87057362&skin=hudoc-en

SECOND SECTION

(Applications nos. 32131/08 and 41617/08)

JUDGMENT

STRASBOURG

21 February 2012

This judgment will become final in the circumstances set out in Article 44 § 2 of the Convention. It may be subject to editorial revision.

Turkish journalist awarded €5,000 after freedom of expression court victory

February 21, 2012 - European Convention of Human Rights

http://www.humanrightseurope.org/2012/02/turkish-journalist-awarded-e5000-after-freedom-of-expression-court-victory/

A journalist, critical of Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has been awarded €5,000 after judges backed his human rights complaint.

The European Court of Human Rights decided today that Turkish courts should not have ordered Erbil Tuşalp to pay damages for criticising the Prime Minister.

In today’s Chamber judgment in the case Tuşalp v. Turkey (application no. 32131/08), which is not final, the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been:

A violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights

The case concerned the complaint by a journalist of having been ordered to pay damages for defamation for having published two articles criticising the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

‘Treason’ in Turkey

Prosecutors wage war on suspected coup conspirators—but at what cost to the country?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/02/19/democracy-is-the-victim-in-turkey-s-war-on-coup-conspirators.html

by Owen Matthews  | February 20, 2012 12:00 AM EST

Turkey’s reform-minded Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is nothing like his iron-fisted Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin—right? Think again. In both leaders’ countries, journalists who dare to criticize the government often end up behind bars. In Erdogan’s Turkey, as in Putin’s Russia, the ruling clique’s political adversaries have been hounded by courts and police and have spent months or years in jail without trial, while oppositionist businessmen have been slapped with ruinous tax bills. On at least two dismal indices, Turkey ranks even worse than Russia: Reporters Without Borders’ latest Press Freedom Index puts Turkey in 148th place, behind Russia at 142, and the European Court of Human Rights found Turkey guilty of 174 violations last year, while runner-up Russia had 133.

Jailed journalists a sign of declining press freedom in Turkey

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-turkey-media-20120219,0,4791137.story

By J. Michael Kennedy, Los Angeles Times; February 19, 2012 / Reporting from Istanbul, Turkey

Turkey is often held up in the U.S. and Europe as a model of how democracy can work in a Muslim country. But activists say press freedom continues to erode.

One ofTurkey’sbest known publishers and human rights activists is sitting in prison — again — waiting for a court case that appears to be at a virtual standstill. He is far from alone.

Ragip Zarakolu was arrested in October along with dozens of other people suspected of having links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, also known as the PKK.

A Guide to Understand the OdaTV Case – 4: Being a lawyer in an adjudicated trial

Yiğit Günay, January 27, 2012 (translation: Ege M. Diren)

http://outforbeyond.blogspot.com/2012/01/guide-to-understand-odatv-case-4-being.html

The soL news portal published a series of articles concerning the background and the ongoings ofthe infamous OdaTV case. Signed Yiğit Günay, the articles investigate the trial’s judicial peculiaritiesas well as its political context and historical implications. Assuming the responsibility of providingEnglish information on Turkey with a political perspective that is compatible with our stance, wedecided to translate these articles for the English-speaking audience. 

This fourth and last article of the series is freely translatedfrom the Turkish original, titled “Odatv davasını anlama kılavuzu 4: Bitmiş davanın avukatı olmak”, published onDecember 31^st, 2011.

You can reach the previous articles by following the Odatvlabel.

A Guide to Understand the OdaTV Case – 3: Barış Terkoğlu, and Journalism in Court

Yiğit Günay, January 9, 2012 (translation: Ege M. Diren)

http://outforbeyond.blogspot.com/2012/01/guide-to-understand-odatv-case-3-bars.html

The soL news portal published a series of articles concerning the background and the ongoings ofthe infamous OdaTV case. Signed Yiğit Günay, the articles investigate the trial’s judicial peculiaritiesas well as its political context and historical implications. Assuming the responsibility of providingEnglish information on Turkey with a political perspective that is compatible with our stance, wedecided to translate these articles for the English-speaking audience.

This third article of the series is freely translated from the Turkish original, titled “Odatv davasını anlama kılavuzu 3: Barış Terkoğlu ve gazeteciliğin yargılanması”, published on December 29^th,2011.

Editorial note: Since this article containsreferences to many other issues in Turkishpolitics, we decided not to prolong thetranslation with many footnotes but insteadskip some parts that are harder to catchfrom the context.

You can reach all the articles by followingthe Odatv label.

In this third part of our article series on the Odatv trial, we examine the parts of the indictment that are related to Barış Terkoğlu¹. The indictment is based upon nothing more than his journalist activities. 

A Guide to Understand the OdaTV Trial – 2: Were the digital documents sent through virus activities?

http://outforbeyond.blogspot.com/2012/01/guide-to-understand-odatv-trial-2-were.html

Yiğit Günay, January 14, 2012 (translation: Ege M. Diren)

The soL news portal published a series of articles concerning the background and the ongoings of the infamous OdaTV case. Signed Yiğit Günay, the articles investigate the trial’s judicial peculiarities as well as its political context and historical implications. Assuming the responsibility of providing English information on Turkey with a political perspective that is compatible with our stance, we decided to translate these articles for the English-speaking audience.

This second article of the series is freely translated from the Turkish original, titled “Odatv davasını anlama kılavuzu 2: Dijital dokümanlar virüsle mi geldi?”, published on December 26^th, 2011.

In this second part of our article series on the Odatv case, we discuss if the documents claimed to be gathered from Odatv computers were embedded there through virus activities. As a matter of fact, whether they are sent through virus activities or not, the journalists should be released immediately.

The last expert investigation from the US is now complete. It states that the documents are infected. Are they really infected or not?

We should all be clear about one thing: It does not matter at all whether these documents are infected or not!

A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF: THE DETERIORATING STATE OF MEDIA FREEDOM IN TURKEY

http://www.silkroadstudies.org/new/inside/turkey/2012/120206A.html

Turkey Analyst, vol. 5 no. 3, February 6, 2012

Gareth Jenkins

Most international attention has focused on the more than 100 journalists who are now in jail in Turkey as a result of what they have written or said. But more pernicious – and ultimately much more corrosive to freedom of expression – is the widespread self-censorship and the climate of fear, which extends well beyond the media into Turkish society at large. Yet it would be a mistake to hold the government of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan solely to blame. The underlying problem goes much deeper and is considerably older than the AKP government. Indeed, it could be argued that the main responsibility for the deteriorating state of freedom of expression in the country lies with the Turkish media itself.

BACKGROUND: The recent rapid rise in the number of journalists being imprisoned in Turkey has led to an increase in international expressions of concern about the deteriorating state of freedom of expression in the country. In its annual Press Freedom Index for 2011, which was released on January 25, 2012, the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders or RSF) ranked Turkey 148th out of 179 countries worldwide, down from 138th in 2010. Despite Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan’s repeated declarations that, since it first came to power in November 2002, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been creating an “advanced democracy”, it was the fifth year in succession that Turkey had slipped down the RSF rankings.

Ragip Zarakolu, symbol of freedom of expression and human rights in modern Turkey

http://www.globalfaultlines.com/2012/02/ragip-zarakolu-symbol-of-freedom-of-expression-and-human-rights-in-modern-turkey/

Posted by Bulent Gokay in Current Affairs, Geopolitics, International Relations, Politics

February 9, 2012

Ragip Zarakolu, symbol of freedom of expression and human rights in modern Turkey
Ragıp Zarakolu, arrested journalist, publisher, writer and human rights advocator, has been nominated for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize by Swedish parliamentarians. A group of MPs from the Swedish Left Party and the Green Party stressed that Zarakolu was an internationally recognized human rights defender who became a symbol for press freedom and freedom of expression. For his courage, patience, intellectual rigour and pursuit of genuine democracy, Ragip Zarakolu received rewards of the IPA in 1998 and 2008; in 1995 and 2007 he was awarded by the Turkey Publishers Association; in 2003 he was awarded by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and in 2010 he was given the National Library Award of Armenia.

JUDICIAL REFORM BILL – JUST PLACATORY GESTURE OR START OF REAL CHANGE?

http://en.rsf.org/turquie-judicial-reform-bill-just-09-02-2012,41833.html

PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY 9 FEBRUARY 2012. UPDATED ON FRIDAY 10 FEBRUARY 2012.

Reporters Without Borders takes note of a government bill aimed at loosening Turkey’s legislative straightjacket, especially as regards the media, and hopes that it represents a first step towards more significant reforms, or else its impact will be minimal.

“By finally addressing certain major failings in the Turkish judicial system, this bill is a step in the right direction,” Reporters Without Borders said. “This recognition of the shortcomings is welcome, contrasting as it does with the usual denial on the part of senior officials.

PROJET DE RÉFORME LÉGISLATIVE : SIMPLE GESTE D’APAISEMENT OU AMORCE D’UN VÉRITABLE CHANGEMENT?

http://fr.rsf.org/turquie-projet-de-reforme-legislative-09-02-2012,41832.html

PUBLIÉ LE JEUDI 9 FÉVRIER 2012. MIS À JOUR LE VENDREDI 10 FÉVRIER 2012.

Reporters sans frontières prend acte de l’initiative gouvernementale visant à atténuer la portée du carcan législatif turc, en particulier sur la presse. L’organisation espère vivement qu’il s’agit d’un premier pas vers des réformes plus significatives, sans quoi son impact restera nul.

« En s’attaquant enfin à certains travers majeurs de la justice turque, ce projet de loi va dans le bon sens, a déclaré l’organisation. Il constitue d’ailleurs un aveu bienvenu, en contraste avec le déni constant manifesté par les plus hautes autorités. Mais il ne prévoit que des aménagements, dont les effets demeureront très limités si le législateur s’en contente au détriment de véritables réformes de fond. Colmater les brèches ne suffit pas : les libertés publiques ne seront réellement garanties que lorsque la Loi antiterroriste (LAT), le Code pénal et le Code des procédures pénales seront complètement débarrassés de la logique répressive qui les imprègne. »

FERMETURE DE ROJ TV : EUTELSAT SE SUBSTITUE À LA JUSTICE

http://fr.rsf.org/france-fermeture-de-roj-tv-eutelsat-se-19-01-2012,41714.html

PUBLIÉ LE JEUDI 19 JANVIER 2012.

Reporters sans frontières est abasourdie par la décision de l’entreprise européenne Eutelsat de suspendre la diffusion de la chaîne kurde Roj TV sur ses satellites.

« Nous sommes choqués par cette décision unilatérale et scandaleuse, prise au mépris de la liberté d’expression. En suspendant la diffusion de Roj TV, Eutelsat prend une initiative dont s’est bien gardée la justice danoise. La cour n’a jamais ordonné la fermeture de la chaîne, qui a d’ailleurs fait appel de sa condamnation à une peine d’amende », a rappelé l’organisation.

“Kill All The Lawyers”: Stifling Dissent in Turkey

William Jones, February 4, 2012

http://blog.amnestyusa.org/justice/kill-all-the-lawyers-stifling-dissent-in-turkey/

Turkey’s jailing of writers has received increasing attention in both the Turkish and the international press, enough to force Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan to defend the fact that Turkey has more journalists in prison,  describing them as “so-called journalists” who “ are actually “police murderers, sexual molesters and supporters of a coup”.

In 2011 Turkey imprisoned 104 journalists, causing Reporters Without Borders to drop Turkey’s press freedom ranking to 148^th in the world.  Either the country has one of the most vicious and corrupt press corps in modern history or these arrests are politically motivated.  However, the Prime Minister will have none of this.  When American Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone stated that he was unable to understand the massive arrests, he was dismissed by Erdogan as a “rookie ambassador” who just didn’t understand Turkey.

A Brawl Over Turkish Press Freedom

http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/04/a-brawl-over-turkish-oppression-of-the-press/

Susanne Fowler, February 4, 2012

PARIS — A war of words between an American novelist and the prime minister of Turkey over press freedom is playing out in a befittingly public venue: in newspapers and on Web sites.

Lucas Dolega/European Pressphoto AgencyAuthor Paul Auster

Paul Auster, author of “The New York Trilogy” and other works, told Rendezvous by telephone from his studio in Brooklyn on Friday that he had told a Turkish journalist that he would not visit Turkey, nor China for that matter, as a way to protest the jailing of scores of journalists and writers there.

Erdogan vs. Auster: Why Is the Turkish Prime Minister Feuding with a Brooklyn-based Writer?

http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2012/02/04/erdogan-vs-auster-why-is-the-turkish-prime-minister-feuding-with-a-brooklyn-based-writer/

Pelin Turgut, February 4, 2012

An Internet-fueled war of words raged across the Atlantic this week between the unlikeliest of opponents: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an Islamic-leaning politician of fiery rhetoric and oft-bellicose disposition, and the erudite Brooklyn-based American novelist Paul Auster. At issue was the state of press freedom in Turkey, which currently ranks alongside China in the number of journalists it has jailed.

Paul Auster hits back at Turkish PM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/feb/03/paul-auster-hits-back-turkish-pm?CMP=twt_gu

Alison Flood, February 3, 2012

After Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the novelist ‘ignorant’, Auster reiterates protest against country’s free speech prohibitions

American novelist Paul Auster has hit back after the Turkish prime minister described him as “an ignorant man”.

Auster, author of the acclaimed New York Trilogy, told Turkish paper Hurriyet earlier this week that he refused to visit Turkey because of imprisoned journalists and writers. “How many are jailed now? Over 100?” Auster, a popular author in Turkey where his new book Winter Journal has just made its first appearance, said. “Us Democrats got rid of the Bushes. We got rid of [former vice president Dick] Cheney who should have been put on trial for war crimes. What is going on in Turkey?”