- Press professional organizations made a joint statement in Ankara against the arrest of İsmail Arı and Alican Uludağ.
- In the statement, it was emphasized that journalism is being criminalized and it was requested that detained journalists be released.
- In the statement of MLSA and 10 press professional organizations, it was said, “Journalists are not enemies. This enemy law must be abandoned. Respect must be shown to the news and to the reporter.”
Büşra Genel
Ankara — In order to react to the arrest of journalists İsmail Arı and Alican Uludağ, press professional organizations made a joint press statement in front of the BirGün Newspaper Ankara bureau. CHP Deputy Chair Yalçın Karatepe also attended the statement.
In the statement made for İsmail Arı, who was detained in Tokat during a holiday visit and then brought to Ankara and arrested, and for Alican Uludağ, who has been detained for 36 days and whose indictment has not yet been written, journalists and representatives of professional organizations chanted slogans, “İsmail will get out and will write again” and “Truth will get out and will write again.”
After the gathering, the first speech was made by BirGün Newspaper Ankara Representative Nurcan Bilge Gökdemir. Gökdemir called for the detained journalists to be released as soon as possible and for the pressure on journalism to come to an end.
Gökdemir said, “İsmail Arı is not the first journalist arrested in this order. If solidarity and objection do not develop, unfortunately he will not be the last.” Emphasizing that journalists carry out their profession within the scope of press freedom guaranteed in the Constitution, in order for society to access accurate information, Gökdemir stated that journalists are deprived of legal guarantees.
Reminding that İsmail Arı reported on corruption, irregularities and various allegations in public institutions within the scope of his journalistic activities, Gökdemir said that such journalism is being targeted. Stating that detentions and arrests against journalists have increased, Gökdemir called for solidarity.
Stating that journalism can only be sustained with the support of the public, Gökdemir said, “Journalism is not a crime. The place of journalists is not prisons.”
After Gökdemir’s speech, the joint statement on behalf of press professional organizations was read by Turkey Journalists’ Union (TGS) Ankara Branch Chair Sinan Tartanoğlu.
Joint statement from MLSA and 10 press professional organizations
In the joint statement, it was stated that İsmail Arı was detained at night in Tokat during Ramadan Holiday and was arrested shortly after being brought to Ankara. Similarly, it was reminded that Alican Uludağ was also detained from his home and sent to prison in a short time.
In the statement, it was emphasized that both journalists had previously complied with the process when they were called to give statements, and it was expressed that resorting to detention procedures in this way is unacceptable.
In the statement, it was stated that İsmail Arı was arrested under Article 217/A of the Turkish Penal Code on the charge of “publicly spreading misleading information,” and it was recorded that many journalists have been investigated and some have been arrested under this regulation.
In the statement, it was expressed that journalists’ news and comments are being presented as if they are elements of a crime, that new accusations are added to files during investigation processes, and that this is turned into a reason for arrest.
In the joint statement, it was said, “Journalists are not enemies. This enemy law must be abandoned. Respect must be shown to the news and to the reporter.”
In the statement, it was stated that practices targeting press and freedom of expression cannot be legitimized, and the following expressions were included: “We oppose the criminalization of our profession, and we once again emphasize that we stand in solidarity with our colleagues who share accurate and reliable information in line with the public’s right to receive news.”
In the statement, it was also stated that pressures against journalists harm democracy, and a call was made for all detained journalists to be released.
The press and professional organizations that signed the joint statement are as follows:
Press Council
Contemporary Journalists Association
Diplomacy Reporters Association
DİSK Press-İş
Economy Reporters Association
Journalists Association
İzmir Journalists Association
KESK News-Sen
Media and Law Studies Association
Parliament Reporters Association
Turkey Journalists’ Union
