Turkey: Goktepe accused choose to remain silent

Fri Aug 22 05:59:26 BST 1997

Subject: Turkey: Goktepe accused choose to remain silent
From: Press Agency Ozgurluk <ozgurluk at xs4all.nl>

  Goktepe accused choose to remain silent

  * _Robert Manner: _'As we have seen, if the press does its duty at
 this trial, the fate of other trials may change'

  _________________________________________________________________

 By Hasan Ustun / Turkish Daily News

Afyon - Nine policemen, seven of them being held in custody, who are
accused of the murder of journalist Metin Goktepe refused to make
statements in their first court appearance yesterday, saying, "We wish
to use our right to remain silent."

At the trial at the Afyon Criminal Court under presiding judge, Nilgun
Ucar, the hearing was postponed until September 15 so that witnesses
may be called. Despite the banning of demonstrations by the Afyon
Provincial Governor's Office, about 1,600 people (40 busloads)
gathered in Afyon to march to the courthouse. Amongst these, as well
as Metin Goktepe's mother Fadime, were members and representatives of
organizations such as the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ODP), the
Labor Party (EMEP), the Republican People's Party (CHP), the
Revolutionary Workers' Labor Union Confederation (DISK), the Human
Rights Association (IHD), the Contemporary Journalists Association
(CGD) and the Turkish Journalists Association (TGD).

Police halted demonstrators 50 meters from the courthouse. The police
also stationed snipers on the courthouse roof and were clearly well
positioned to intimidate the crowd. The demonstrators protested the
exclusion from the vicinity of the courthouse of all but members of
the Goktepe family and their lawyers by chanting slogans such as,
"Where the trial is, we are there," and "It is our right to watch the
trial." Citizens of Afyon living in the vicinity of the courthouse
closed their doors and windows securely and watched the events from
between their curtains.

Robert Manner, speaking for the international organization Journalists
Without Frontiers, stated that they were attending this trial because
it would play a key role in shedding light on the spate of mysterious
killings from which Turkey has suffered, and continued, "As we have
seen, if the press does its duty at this trial, the fate of other
trials may change." He commented, "As for the courtroom being so small
as to allow as few as 50 people to be squeezed in, they are sneering
at us." He pointed out that when there is substantial public interest,
trials in Europe are held in large courtrooms to admit as many as
possible, and added, "This is a show of respect for journalists and
for the public right to be informed." Referring to the large number of
police, gendarmes and other security officials surrounding the court,
Manner stated that he found it strange to see the accused police being
brought into the Afyon courtroom under the protection of a military
cordon.

"Out of 40, 9 are left," said Fadime Goktepe, complaining about yet
another delay in the trial procedure. She alleged that her son had
been killed by the gangs of former Prime Minister and Foreign minister
Tansu Ciller but that the murderers had only been arrested and brought
to court thanks to the current Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz.

The use of the accused's lawyers of the "right of refusal" (in other
words, their request for the alteration of the composition of the
court) was regarded by the court as a method of delaying the trial
proceedings and it ordered that the accused policemen continue to be
remanded in custody, taking into account the fact that the type of
crime involved had not yet been established nor the evidence fully
collected. It also decided to launch an investigation into whether or
not the ailments of four of the policemen, who did not attend the
hearing because they produced doctors' reports saying that they were
unfit to do so, were or were not of such a nature as to prevent them
from taking part. The court required full information on the treatment
of the police in question.

CHP Parliamentary Deputy Sabri Ergul stated that the Metin Goktepe
trial and that of young people who had been tried and imprisoned in
his own district, Manisa, despite having been maltreated by police
reflected on Turkey's prestige. Unfortunately," he said, "the behavior
of the administration in not providing information to make the job of
the court easier has no place in the public conscience."
  _________________________________________________________________

Istanbul police will ensure journalists' security

  _________________________________________________________________

Turkish Daily News

Istanbul - Istanbul Police Chief Hasan Ozdemir paid a courtesy call on
Nail Gureli, the chairman of the Turkish Journalists' Association, and
members of the board of that organization on Wednesday. Gureli took
the opportunity to stress that Istanbul is a city in which social
incidents occurred frequently and journalists have to be able to work
with a sense of security.

Gureli pointed out that security forces in some instances had blocked
journalists and had stood by while assaults were perpetrated on them.
He expressed the hope that Ozdemir would not allow such incidents to
happen again. The Journalists' Association Chairman noted that
journalists had to get correct information quickly while some
officials will not speak to them citing Law No. 657 concerning
government employees.

Ozdemir in reply stated that the police had now set up a unit to
protect journalists from the kind of attacks which they had
experienced recently. In the near future, instructions would be given
to the Press Protocol Public Relations Branch Directorate, police
stations, news centers and duty directorates to help journalists
acquire accurate information. In some cases, written statements will
also be issued. He assured that journalists would be able to undertake
their duties with greater security which means that in future they
will be able to acquire information with greater ease.
  _________________________________________________________________
-- 
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