İZMİR - Journalist Seyithan Akyüz, who was released from Şakran Prison, pointed out the pressure on the press and said: "Pressure on the press is death for a society."

 

Adana Representative of Azadiya Welat Newspaper, which was closed on August 16, 2016 with the Decree-Law (KHK), Seyithan Akyüz was released from İzmir Şakran Type T Prison, where he was detained, on January 12.

 

PRESSURE STARTED IN 2003

 

The pressures against journalist Akyüz started in 2003, when he started his career. Akyüz was detained and arrested in 2003 in the Konak district of Izmir, in Kadifekale Mahallesi, on charges of "possession of explosives" and "being a member in a terrorist organization". Although Akyüz was acquitted of the charge of "being a member of a terrorist organization" as a result of his trial in this case, he was sentenced to 4 years and 17 months in prison for possession of explosives. This fine was converted into a fine of 3 thousand TL. He was released after being imprisoned for 1 year on these charges. The accusation of "possession of explosives" was also found to be unfounded as a result of the trial."

 

NEWROZ CELEBRATION

 

Akyüz was later detained for shouting slogans at the Newroz celebration he attended in İzmir in 2007, and was arrested on charges of praising “crime and the criminal”. Akyüz was sentenced to 1 year in this lawsuit against him and was released after being detained for 4 months.

 

PROSECUTION CONTINUED FOR 15 YEARS

 

In 2008, approximately 120 people were detained in an operation based in Adana. Akyüz, who was among the detainees, was later released. In the case that has been going on for about 15 years, Akyüz was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison for "being a member in a terrorist organization" considering his previous files. Upon appeal, the Court of Appeal overturned the local court's decision on the grounds that there had been illegal rest in the past few days.

 

ANOTHER LAWSUIT AFTER THE RAID ON THE NEWSPAPER

 

Again in 2009, a lawsuit was filed against Akyüz following the raid on the Azadîya Welat Office in Adana. In this case, Akyüz was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months for "committing a crime on behalf of the organization without being a member of a terrorist organization". The file was moved to the Supreme Court. After the 3rd judicial package was removed, the Supreme Court returned the file to the local court without examining it. Based on the 3rd judicial package, this sentence was reduced to 3 years, 1 month and 15 days. The Supreme Court upheld the local court's decision in 2016.

 

AKYÜZ WAS SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS PRISON

 

Akyüz was detained and arrested in 2009 under the name of "KCK Press". As a result of his trial, Akyüz was sentenced to 12 years in prison for "being member in a terrorist organization" on the grounds of his journalistic activities.

 

AKYÜZ HAS BEEN HELD IN PRISON FOR 15 YEARS

 

Akyüz was released after being imprisoned for a total of 13 years and 1 month in this case with the approval of the files he was tried before. Akyüz has been in prison for a total of 15 years since 2003. Akyüz was held in Adana Kürkçüler Type F, İskenderun Type M, Adana Ceyhan Type M, Isparta Type E, İzmir Kırıklar Type F, Şakran Type T Prison, respectively.

 

We talked to journalist Seyithan Akyüz, who was released after completing his execution, about both the pressure on journalists and the violations of rights in prisons.

 

'LAW IS SHELVED IN PRISON'

 

Saying that violations of rights in prisons in Turkey have always been severe, Akyüz said: “We are living in a period in which the law is shelved in prison. Many applications of the 1980s were implemented. There are violations of rights such as walking in a row, standing counting, standing in front of the guards, depriving the prisoners of their right to socialize, and blocking the petitions sent against the violations of rights. In this context, the prisoners are showing great resistance against the practices with the resistance culture they have inherited from before. Some of the unlawful practices were broken as a result of the resistance; however, there is still a serious isolation. Especially political prisoners are constantly being tried to be put under psychological pressure."

 

ILL PRISONERS CAN NOT SURVIVE IN PRISON

 

Noting that there are prisoners who cannot survive in prison, Akyüz said: "There are many prisoners in prisons who cannot survive on their own. It is very difficult to be treated. Even if you go to the hospital, you cannot get proper treatment. A prisoner is sent to the ward 24 hours after the operation. A person with surgery in the ward. "How can he take care of himself? After we came to the room, there was bleeding at the surgery site, we had to work for 5-6 hours to take him back to the infirmary. Ill prisoners need to be treated outside in full-fledged hospitals." 

 

'PRESSURE ON THE PRESS IS DEATH'

 

Emphasizing that journalists have an important role in society and that journalism is the mission of enlightening the society not only in Turkey but also all over the world, Akyüz said: "Journalists who bring these issues to the agenda are targeted. The current order wants to control journalists. In this way, it tries to suppress all opposition groups other than its own line. This neutralization or bias of the press is death to a society. We were followed in prison to a certain extent. Except for a few opposition presses, the prestige of the press is gone. It is the place where the press ends where everything becomes uniform. If the society does not protect the press, it means that it does not protect its democratic life values. At this point, the whole society and democratic circles should do whatever they can for the prisons, the press, and the democratization of Turkey in general.”

 

MA / Delal Akyüz