Improve the justice system instead of arresting journalists

Reactions continue to the arrest of journalist Tolga Şardan due to a news report he wrote. Journalism professional organizations held a press conference in front of the T24 Ankara office to express their reaction.

The Press Council, the Journalists Union of Turkey, the Progressive Journalists Association, DİSK Basın-İş, the Journalists Association, Haber-Sen, the İzmir Journalists Association, and the Turkey Photojournalists Association opposed the arrest decision against Şardan. The statement, which noted that Şardan's article had not been denied for 43 hours, drew attention to the timing of the arrest decision.

The statement is as follows:

TOLGA ŞARDAN MUST BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY!

NONE OF US ACCEPT THIS INTIMIDATION!

“WE ARE JOURNALISTS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO PRACTICE JOURNALISM”

Through the implementation of the censorship law, attempts are being made to silence, intimidate, and bring the press into line in our country. We are journalists; we will continue to shout that journalism is not a crime, to voice corruption despite pressures and threats, to practice journalism despite all authoritarian pressures, and to work for the public's right to information.

Our colleague Tolga Şardan was arrested on the evening of November 1st on the allegation and charge of “publicly disseminating misleading information with the sole intent of creating anxiety, fear, or panic among the public” during an investigation launched due to his article titled "What is in the judicial report submitted by the MIT to the Presidency?" published on the T24 website on October 31st.

In the article in question, Şardan shared information that relevant state institutions were also conducting an investigation into the allegations of irregularities that have recently surfaced in the judiciary. However, this article was met with reaction by some officials, and as a result, our colleague was arrested and sent to prison. The hasty opening of an investigation against Şardan, the search of his home and documents, and his detention and arrest constitute a severe intimidation against all journalists in our country.

It is the duty of a journalist to investigate problems in the justice system and present them to public knowledge. In the face of irregularities that have even entered petitions written to the Council of Judges and Prosecutors and MIT reports, judges should focus on making the justice system function well instead of arresting journalists who bring these problems to the agenda. The arrest of journalist Tolga Şardan for writing about these problems means nothing other than an effort to cover up the issues.

The Communications Directorate's Center for Combating Disinformation announced 10 minutes after the arrest decision was made for Tolga Şardan that there was no such MIT report as Şardan wrote, and that the article contained disinformation. It is significant that the article, which was not denied by the relevant institutions despite 43 hours passing since its publication, was denied by the disinformation center simultaneously with the arrest decision. We journalists know very well that when there is incorrect information in such news, the relevant institutions issue denials at jet speed. We do not find it credible that Şardan's article, which was not considered disinformation for a day and a half, was denied along with the arrest decision.

Fake news is, first and foremost, a journalistic crime. Şardan has never committed this crime; he is an honest and respected colleague of ours. Şardan, who has always established relationships within the framework of journalism with the interior, security, and judicial bureaucracy and relevant politicians in Turkey for the last 35 years, is a senior and respected journalist who meticulously pens the subjects he covers and puts a magnifying glass on problems in institutions with the news and inside information he writes. We vouch for our colleague Şardan and his journalism.

On the same day as Şardan, our colleague Dinçer Gökçe was also detained in Istanbul on the same charge and was released after his statement. This systematic intimidation directed at those who carry out public information activities and only practice journalism can never be accepted. These extra-legal efforts against journalists, which have become visible once again with these latest examples, have become blows to freedom of thought and expression and are causing great harm to our country.

The arrest of journalists leads to the prevention of the public's right to receive information and the crippling of public oversight through the press. This is precisely why journalists opposed the law that added the crime of “publicly disseminating misleading information,” which we call the censorship law, to our penal code. This law has been taken to the Constitutional Court for being unconstitutional, and the decision to be made by the high court has been awaited for months. Until this decision is issued, it is quite possible for many of our colleagues to end up behind bars with this vaguely defined charge. The Constitutional Court must issue its decision regarding the censorship law as soon as possible.

As press professional organizations, we demand the immediate release of Tolga Şardan and all imprisoned journalists.

As our friend Tolga Şardan said after being arrested: We are journalists, we will continue to practice journalism.

Press Council

Progressive Journalists Association

DİSK Basın-İş

Journalists Association

Haber-Sen

İzmir Journalists Association

Turkey Photojournalists Association

Journalists Union of Turkey

News Source: 12punto