Journalist Ömer Çelik prisoned since 100 days without accusation file

2017-04-27 12:27:56

İSTANBUL –Despite 100 days past imprisonment of journalists Ömer Çelik, Tunca Öğreten and Mahir Kanaat, accusation wasn’t prepared yet. Press organizations “ Journalists are punished 100 days despite any accusation wasn’t presented to the court” said.

 

Closed Dicle News Agency (DİHA)  news director Ömer Çelik, reporter Metin Yoksu, Diken online newspaper former news editor Tunca Öğreten , BirGün Newspaper accounting supervisor Mahir Kanaat and Yolculuk Newspaper chief editor Eray Saygın had been taken into custody  in raids on December 25 of 2016 as part of investigation leaked e-mail of Minister Berat Albayrak by Redhack.




After 24 days of detention Derya Okatan,Metin Yoksu and Eray Saygın had been  released while Ömer Çelik, Tunca Öğreten and Mahir Kanaat had been jailed on charge of “being member of illegal organization”.




Despite 100 days past over imprisonment of journalist, any accusation file wasn’t presented to the court by prosecutor. Also Die Welt reporter Deniz Yücel is prisoned since 59 days for the same investigation.




Press Associations demanded to be released journalists immediately on 100th days of imprisonment.




President of Journalists Union of Turkey ( TGS) Gökhan Durmuş remarked Turkey is passing the roughest days in the history of journalism. “ Journalists are jailed in  these days because they reported the truth. Mahir Kanaat, Ömer Çelik and Tunca Öğreten were jailed because they reported the truth to the public opinion. Those journalists did nothing except journalism activities and are kept in prison since 100 days” said Durmuş.

DİSK ( Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey) Press-Worker chairperson Faruk Eren point out accusation file wasn’t prepared despite 100 days past over imprisonment of journalists. “ They can’t prepare an accusation file because they can’t find any  concrete accusing. But long imprisonment period without accusation file already  becomes a punishment. Not only for journalists but also for politicians as well” said Eren.