newspaper Archives

Turkey arrests editor-in-chief of Aydinlik opposition newspaper

June 4, 2017 By administrator

free press turkeyThe Aydinlik newspaper has reported the arrest of its editor-in-chief, Ilker Yucel. The apparent cause was an unpaid fine for an article about President Erdogan’s son-in-law published in 2014.

The Aydinlik newspaper, in its digital edition on Saturday, said its editor-in-chief, Ilker Yucel, was arrested in the extreme east of Turkey and taken to prison in Igdir near the border with Armenia, where he is to stay until a fine is paid, his lawyer said.

“I have been detained in Igdir for not publishing a correction from [Energy Minister and son in law of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan] Berat Albayrak that included an insult to Aydinlik,” said Yucel in a Twitter message.

Bulent Tezcan, a member of parliament and spokesman for the main opposition People’s Republican Party (CHP), called for Yucel’s immediate release on Saturday.

“Turkey is experiencing one of the darkest, most oppressive periods in its press history,” Aydinlik quoted Tezcan as saying.

Since a failed coup attempt in July, Erdogan has cracked down on many opposition figures, including politicians, academics, journalists, police and judges. Two German journalists are also currently being held in prison in Turkey.

The Turkish Journalists Union (TGS) also called for his immediate release.

The case dates back to 2014 when Aydinlik published an article about Berat Albayrak, the son-in-law of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who has been energy minister since November 2015. The report claimed Albayrak had links to crime. Accusations from the Wikileaks websites allege the 39-year-old Albyarak played a role in the sale of oil by the so-called “Islamic State” (IS) group. He has denied all such accusations.

A court in Turkey ordered the newspaper to either publish a disclaimer about its report or pay a $28,000 (24,800 euro) fine. The paper refused, with Yucel saying the disclaimer “insulted” the paper.

Yucel is also a prominent member of the small, left-wing Patriotic Party (Vatan) which renewed itself in 2015, bringing together socialists, revolutionaries and nationalists.

The European Federation of Journalists said 159 media workers have been jailed in Turkey – including reporters from France and Germany.

Turkey is positioned 155th on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index of 180 countries.

The threat against Agos goes unpunished

November 20, 2016 By administrator

Turkish gray wolf in front of Agos Newspaper

In the case of the threat against Agos, Nationalist Turkish Party Istanbul Chair Bilal Gökçeyurt and the chair of so-called Turan Organization Ercan Uçar have been acquitted. Agos’ lawyer Hakan Bakırcıoğlu objected to the ruling.

On April 24, 2015, a black wreath was put in front of the office of Agos newspaper and a declaration titled as “One night, we might come to visit you unexpectedly” was read. Agos newspaper filed a criminal complaint against this threat. The trial was held today.

Nationalist Turkish Party Istanbul Chair Bilal Gökçeyurt and the chair of so-called Turan Organization Ercan Uçar have been acquitted on the ground that “there is no element of a crime”.

On behalf of complainant Agos newspaper, editor-in-chief Yetvart Danzikyan attended the hearing.

Speaking during the hearing, Danzikyan said: “They had put a black wreath, while the office was closed. We saw it in the morning. Then, we saw that they released a video about their action titled as ‘One night, we might come to visit you unexpectedly’. We filed a criminal complaint. There had been similar actions when Hrant Dink was working in Agos. You know what happened to Hrant Dink. Thus, we considered this action as a threat.”

The suspects claimed that they exercised their right to democratic protest.

Lawyer Bakırcıoğlu: the ruling violates the law

Agos’ lawyer Hakan Bakırcıoğlu objected to the ruling on the ground that it violates the law. He stated that the acquittal openly violates the law and rule, since there is solid evidence showing that the suspects committed the crimes of threatening and insulting.

The prosecution demanded prison sentence

In the indictment issued by Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s office, it was stated that the suspects regard Agos as responsible for Armenia’s actions in Karabakh, though the newspaper has no influence over the actions of the Armenian state.

It was also stated that the suspects committed the crimes of threatening and insulting by reminding Hrant Dink with the title of “One night, we might come to visit you unexpectedly” and releasing their press statement on the same day. The prosecution demanded prison sentence for the suspects on the charges of threatening and insulting.

RSF: “The threat goes unpunished and it is troubling”

Following “the case of black wreath”, RSF Turkey Branch made a statement via social media: “The threat against Agos goes unpunished and it is troubling. This ruling encourages similar attacks.”

gagrule.net congratulate Asbarez on 108 years anniversary

August 15, 2016 By administrator

The first issue of Asbarez published on August 14, 1908

The Asbarez newspaper marks its 108th anniversary today, Sunday, we wish them a happy anniversary.
Pictured is the front page of our first edition published on Aug. 14, 1908, in Fresno

From Archives
Read a first-person account of how Asbarez was founded (Published, August 14, 2008)

Turkey’s Radikal daily newspaper is closing

March 24, 2016 By administrator

end radikal Radikal, which is one of Turkey’s most dynamically developing periodicals, will cease to exist.

Radikal Chief Editor Cem Erciyes, speaking to Deutsche Welle, confirmed the rumors that this daily newspaper will close down.

He noted that their paper will no longer exist as of Friday.

In his words, some Radikal employees will move to Hürriyet daily newspaper, whereas the most of them will become unemployed.

Radikal is one of Turkey’s few periodicals that write “Armenian Genocide,” when describing the events that occurred in 1915.

Turkey Zaman newspaper: Defiant last edition as Turkey police raid

March 6, 2016 By administrator

illustration by gagrulenet

Turkey’s biggest newspaper, Zaman, has condemned its takeover by the authorities in a defiant last edition published just before police raided it,
Saturday’s edition said Turkey’s press had experienced “one of the darkest days in its history”.

Police raided Zaman’s Istanbul offices hours after a court ruling placed it under state control, but managers were still able to get the edition to print.

Police later fired tear gas to disperse Zaman supporters.

Water cannon was also used as about 500 people gathered in front of Zaman’s headquarters on Saturday. They chanted “Free press cannot be silenced!”

A number of the journalists returned to work, but some of them tweeted that:

they had lost access to internal servers and were not able to file articles

they were not able to access their email accounts

the newspaper’s editor-in-chief Abdulhamit Bilici and a leading columnist had been fired

One reporter, Abdullah Bozturk, said attempts were also under way to wipe the newspaper’s entire online archive.

The European Union’s response has been to issue weak statements of concern, the BBC’s Mark Lowen says.

It is accused of acting softly on Turkey as it needs the country’s support in managing the refugee crisis.

The paper is closely linked to the Hizmet movement of influential US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, which Turkey says is a “terrorist” group aiming to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.

Mr Gulen was once an ally of Mr Erdogan but the two fell out. Many Hizmet supporters have been arrested.

The court ruled on Friday that Zaman, which has a circulation of some 650,000, should now be run by administrators. No explanation was given.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the move was “legal, not political”.

“It is out of the question for neither me nor any of my colleagues to interfere in this process,” he said in a television interview.

The government in Ankara has come under increasing international criticism over its treatment of journalists.

The EU’s diplomatic service said that Turkey “needs to respect and promote high democratic standards and practices, including freedom of the media”, while the US described the move as “troubling”.

The Saturday edition of the newspaper was printed before the government-backed administrators had taken control.

“The Constitution is suspended,” a headline in large font on a black background reads on the front page.

“The Turkish press has experienced one of the darkest days in its history,” the paper adds.

“Turkey’s mass circulation newspaper was seized despite Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s assurance that ‘free press is our red line.'”

The English-language edition echoed its sister paper with the headline: “Shameful day for free press in Turkey.”

Police entered the building in Istanbul late on Friday, firing tear gas at protesters who had gathered outside.

Hundreds of Zaman supporters defied the police. One held a placard saying: “We will fight for a free press.”

“I believe that free media will continue even if we have to write on the walls,” Zaman’s editor-in-chief Abdulhamit Bilici said shortly before the raid on Friday. “I don’t think it is possible to silence media in the digital age.”

He was speaking to the Cihan news agency, which was also affected by the court order.

Freedom of the press in Turkey

Turkey ranks 149th among the 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index 2015

Media organisations in Turkey say that more than 30 journalists are currently behind bars; most are of Kurdish origin

The government argues journalism in Turkey is among the most free in the world

German Newspaper Nominates Putin as ‘Political Winner’ of 2015

December 31, 2015 By administrator

According to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Moscow has proved to be an indispensable partner in the negotiations with Iran and Syria.

The German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung set up a list of politicians, who “won” and “lost” in 2015.

Among the winners, the newspaper named Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Russia proved to be a constructive partner in the negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program; moreover, the Russian involvement in the Syrian conflict led to the fact that its resolution became impossible without Putin,” the newspaper wrote.

At the beginning of 2015, Russia had strained relations with the West, but by the end of the year the situation had changed, the article said.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has even talked about the possibility of Russia’s return to G8, a move which was considered impossible a few months ago.

According to the newspaper, the year was successful for US President Barack Obama as well. The US Supreme Court backed up Obama’s health care reform, while the unemployment rate in the US decreased to 5%. Obama has also achieved a lot in the foreign policy, including an agreement with Iran as well as successful TPP negotiations, the article said.

For Angela Merkel this year was the most difficult time of all her chancellorship, and yet she was able to strengthen her positions as a European leader. However, the ongoing refugee crisis may weaken her image in the long-run and signify “the beginning of the end of Merkel’s era,” FAZ wrote.

Among “Winners 2015” the newspaper also named Turkish President Erdogan whose party received a majority of the seats in the Turkish parliament; Marine Le Pen, whose party showed good results in the regional elections in France; and US billionaire Donald Trump, who leads the rankings of the republican presidential candidates.

The “Losers 2015” turned out to be, Former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and Former Argentine President Cristina Kirchner.

According to the Egyptian newspaper “Al-Misri al-Yom” after the Armenian Genocide Turkey’s continued crimes

May 6, 2015 By administrator

The Egyptian newspaper with wide circulation, “Al-Misri al-Yom” published an article by MP Emad Gad also vice president of the Center for Analysis “Al-Ahram” on the Armenian genocide.

Emad Gad affirms that Egypt might follow the example of many other countries and recognize the Armenian genocide carried out by Turkey and to write that “there is no justification to postpone the date of this recognition of the genocide of Armenians. “Under the headline” 100 years after the Armenian Genocide realized by Turkey “, the author presents the data of the genocide and violence of its realization against the Armenian civilian population.” The Turks crimes will not end with the extermination of the Armenians “, he wrote and continue” where the Turks have set foot there were massacres, blood flowed (…) this is what happened in Greece country democracy and philosophy. “

Emad Gad, who recently participated in the Global Forum Yerevan wrote that Turkey is implementing significant means to be born of violence in Europe, Asia and Africa. The Egyptian MP notes however that the important role of Armenian communities, Greek and others to curb the entry of Turkey into the European Union and returns to the Pope’s statement François recognizing the Armenian Genocide and the US Congress efforts to Genocide recognition by Washington. Emad Gad also argues that denial of Turkey received a serious setback for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the European Parliament “international recognition of the Armenian Genocide can not be stopped by Ankara,” he wrote. Finally, the author openly critical of Turkey for its support to the “Muslim Brotherhood” as well as terrorist Islamist groups.

Krikor Amirzayan

Turkish nationalist group lays “BLACK” wreath in front of Armenian newspaper

April 24, 2015 By administrator

A group of Turkish nationalists left black wreaths in front of Agos, the bilingual Turkish-Armenian weekly, in the early hours of April 24 in an apparently aggressive move against the newspaper, whose editor Hrant Dink was murder by a nationalist in 2007.

Two unidentified people came to the front door of the newspaper’s building in Istanbul’s central Şişli neighborhood at 7:15 a.m. in local time, making a statement there, Agos reported on its website.

The newspaper also aired the photo of the wreath carrying signs of the nationalist groups.

Turan Ocakları, one of the two groups, shared a video of the incident on a social media account, with a title “All of a sudden we are at Agos in the night.”

Ogün Samast, a nationalist, assassinated Dink in broad daylight on a busy street outside of the office of Agos in Istanbul’s Şişli district. Samast is serving a sentence of 22 years and 10 months in a high-security prison. Yasin Hayal and police informant Erhan Tuncel are accused of encouraging Samast to kill Dink in the Black Sea province of Trabzon.

Turkish Radikal newspaper columnist “Although the Armenians forgive us, God will not forgive us” #ARMENIANGENOCIDE

April 4, 2015 By administrator

Turkish columnist Redvan Shahin in an article in the columns of Radical Turkish newspaper writes about the genocide of the Armenians that “even if the Armenians forgive us, God will not forgive us.” The reporter continued, “when it comes April 2, my heart sank, my conscience hurts me, I am ashamed to be a human … when it comes to April 2 in front of me parading women fell on the road, dead children from starvation, forced mothers to leave their house (…) April 2 in Van is celebrated every year the liberation of the city.

He is 97 years old were promised paradise to those who killed at least 7 Armenians. Part of Van Armenians were deported and another part attaching one behind the other, it was pulled them trying to kill several at a ball. Savagely they were killed (…) to make disappear the traces of Armenians, we even invented false stories. “R. Shahin continues “Hey, Muslims, how long will you continue to tell these false stories, this denial? Let the grandchildren of the Young Turks defend the errors of their grandparents, do not be complicit in these sins (…) yes, a certain number of Armenians helped the enemy.

A number of Armenians resorted to banditry, but the role of the state is to catch and punish the perpetrators of the facts and not to drive their land routes to the death of thousands of children, adolescents and innocent elderly. “And Radikal columnist concluded” Today we must study the truth and make efforts to retrieve and strong proclaim this truth. “Addressing the Armenians he wrote” Forgive us our grandparents could not defend your grandparents. We apologize. “

Krikor Amirzayan

Condolences Sarkis Seropyan, editor of Agos newspaper, has died

March 29, 2015 By administrator

Sarkis Seropyan

Founding member of the Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos with Hrant Dink (5 April 1996), Sarkis Seropyan died at age 80 of a heart attack, Saturday, March 28, 2015. He was born in Istanbul in 1935.

First mechanic refrigerators is after writing for newspapers and concocted notes of trips he co-founded Agos in order to create a bridge between Armenians and develop culture, lamenting the disappearance progressive of the Armenian language. He was responsible for Armenian language pages.

On 19 January 2007, Sarkis Seropyan had heard of his three shots that killed Dink office. Jokingly he then told his colleagues rushed to the window, “They do not go shooting?” Without knowing what had happened.

After the assassination of Hrant Dink, Agos had received financial assistance to edit a special issue N that will be sold over 50,000 copies. The Agos usual draft of between 7,000 and 9,000 copies.

In 2007, after being charged with the editor Aris Nalci for their article “smart board” published November 9, 2007 in Agos in which they criticized the decision against Hrant Dink on the basis of Article 301 for insulting the state, they will eventually be paid June 18, 2008.

In his heart humanist Sarkis Seropyan always thought that the borders between Turkey and Armenia would eventually open.

Our deepest condolences to his family, his relatives and drafting of Agos.