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Think,think… FreedomofExpressionWeeklyBulletin(Issue06/18,9February2018)

Whathappenedlastweek?

***Asthe‘AfrinOperation’left21daysbehind,Ankaraisreactingagainstcriticismsandcalls for moderation from abroad. Government authorities, especially PresidentErdoğan, announce the next step to beManbij. Erdoğan demandedU.S. units to leaveManbij.TheU.S.governmentannouncedthattheunitswillnotretreat.

***PresidentErdoğanspoketoItalianLaStampaNewspaper.Editor-In-ChiefMaurizioMolinariaskedErdoğanhowhewouldliketoaddressthosewhoprotesthim.“Iaddressterrorists as I did in Afrin, because that is the language that they understand. I willcontinueaddressingtheminthesamelanguage,”saidErdoğan.

*** TurkishMedical Association (TTB) Central Councilmember physicians,whoweretaken intocustodydue to thenotice they launched following themilitaryoperation inAfrin,werereleasedwithjudicialcontrol.(Detailsbelow…)

***NationalistMovementParty(MHP)leaderBahçeliandPresidentErdoğancontinuedto target the Turkish Medical Association (TTB) this weel. The government startedpreparingforaregulationthatwouldrestrictauthoritiesofprofessionalorganizations,whicharepublicinstitutions.(Detailsbelow…)

***MinistryofInternalAffairsannounced449people,whopostedonthesocialmediarelatedtotheoperationstartedinAfrinbytheTurkishArmedForces(TSK),aswellas124others,whoparticipatedinprotestdemonstrations,weretakenintocustodydueto“makingillegalorganizationpropaganda.”Accordingtothedatawecompiledfromthepress, at least41peoplewerearresteddue to their socialmediaposts.Custodies andarrestscontinuetoincreaseeveryday.

***NetherlandsForeignMinistryannouncedtheofficialretreatoftheirambassadorinTurkey,whowasnot allowed toenterTurkey for a yearafter the tensionsbefore thereferendum.ItwasfurtherindicatedthatTurkeywillnotbepermittedtoassignanewambassadortotheNetherlands.

***TheParliamentmembershipofarrestedPeople’sDemocraticParty(HDP)ŞırnakMPFerhatEncüwastakenoffduetothedefinitivesentenceof imprisonmentagainsthim.The number of HDPMPs, who lost their membership in the legislative power, foundseven. On the other hand, 114more summaries arrived at the Parliament against 57MPs, including Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kılıçdaroğlu and HDP leaderDemirtaş.ThenumberoffilesonParliamentaryimmunitiesincreasedto524.

***TheTurkey-EU summitwas announced to be held inBulgaria onMarch26th andthat President Erdoğan will participate in the summit. The parties will discuss theTurkey-EUrelations,whichwasonholdforalongtime,aswellasregionalissues.

*** European Parliament accepted the resolution text, reprimanding the incidents inTurkey related to theviolationofhumanrightsand theprincipleof the supremacyoflaw. “The State of Emergency is used to further suppress the legitimate and peaceful

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oppositionandtopreventthemediaandthecivilsociety’srighttofreedomofexpression,”statedtheParliament.

*** Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ announced that all broadcasts made on theInternetwillbemonitoredby theRadioandTelevisionHigherCouncil (RTÜK). In theregulationsenttotheParliament,RTÜKisgiventheauthoritytogiveandannullicencestoInternetpublicationsaswellastobanaccesstocontentthroughCriminalJudicaturesofPeace.

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TTBCentralCouncilmembersreleasedwithjudicialcontrolEight Turkish Medical Union (TTB)Central Council member physicians,including TTB Chairman Prof. Dr.RaşitTürkel,weretakenintocustodydue to the notice they launchedfollowing the military operation inAfrin.Thephysicianswerereleaseda

weeklater,withjudicialcontrol.Aninvestigationwasstartedagainst11physiciansafterthe“peacecall”theylaunchedagainst the operation in Afrin, with the title, “War is a social health problem.” Thephysicians were taken into custody on January 30 with a house raid. Three of thedoctorswerereleased lastFridaywith judicialcontrol.Türkelspokewhile leaving thecourthouse, saying, “We defend the values of medicine. We defend this under anycircumstance,inanyenvironment.Thevaluesofmedicineareonthesideoflife,ofcreatinganatmosphereofpeace.Werepeatwhatwehavesaidbefore,andwewillcontinuestatingit.”

“Afrinmustbedestroyed,TTBmustbeshutdown”During the group meeting of hisparty, Nationalist Movement Party(MHP) Chairman Devlet Bahçelitargeted the Turkish Medical Union(TTB)aftertheircallforpeace.“TheyaretheenemiesofTurks,adisgracetomedical practice. An immediate legalactionmustbemadeagainstthem,or

asealmustbeputontheirdoor,”saidBahçeli.Accusingthephysiciansof‘trason’,Bahçelifurtherstated,“eitherAfrinmustbedestroyed,ortheterroristsmustbeburneddown.”PresidentErdoğanalsostatedthattheword“Turkish”willberemovedfromthenamesoftheTurkishMedicalUnionandtheTurkishBarAssociationsUnion,bytheCouncilofMinisters.“Theyhavenointentionofstandingbesideusinourfighttoprotectournation;

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on the contrary, theyhave the intention to standagainstus, toprotect terroristsand tosupportthem,”saidErdoğan.The government took action immediately after these statements, taking relatedamendment resolutions into agenda. According to the news by Anadolu Agency, theconditions to be listed in the Bar Association to practice as a lawyer as well as amembership to TTB to practicemedicinewill be removed. According to this,medicaldoctors, engineers and lawyerswill be able to bemembers ofwhicheverprofessionalorganizationtheyplease.Theregulationalsoendsapplications liketransferringpublicresourcestotherelatedorganizations.

CustodywarrantissuedagainstHDPCo-ChairKemalbay,DBPCo-ChairArslanarrestedCustody operations continue againstPeople’s Democratic Party (HDP)before the 3rd Great OrdinaryCongress to be organized in Ankara

onFebruary11th.AnadoluAgencyannouncedacustodywarrantagainstHDPCo-ChairSerpilKemalbayaswell.Thereasonforthecustodywarrant is thenotice launchedbyHDPagainsttheoperationinAfrin.ManypoliticalpartyandinstitutionrepresentativesrelatedtoHDPinIstanbul,Ankaraand İzmir were taken into custody with operations at their residence addresses.AccordingtothenewsbyAnadoluAgency,thereasonforcustodiesare“tocallpeopleonthestreetstoprotesttheAfrinOperation.”Thelistwasindicatedtohave17namesonit,includingKemalbay.Ontheotherhand,DemocraticRegionsParty(DBP)Co-ChairMehmetArslan,whowastakenintocustodyonFebruary6thduetohisstatementsandsocialmediapostsagainstthe operation of the Turkish government in Afrin, was arrested due to “illegalorganizationmembership.”

Children’splaybannedduetobeing‘againstwar’The theater play, “EnvironmentalistRascals,” prepared by İzmir ToprakStage Theater, was banned due to“being against war and violence.”Denying the application to stage theplay in Manisa, Akhisar DistrictNational Education Directorate

decided that “it is inappropriate forourchildren tobepresentedpoliticalexpressionslike‘anti-war’inthesensitiveperiodthecountryisin.”TheDirectoratedidnotpermittheadvertisementandpostersoftheplayinschools.

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Courtconsiderspoemevidenceforillegalorganizationmembership;sentencesdefendantto9year-9monthimprisonmentUrfa 6th High Criminal Courtsentenced İsa Kutay to nine years

andninemonthsofimprisonmentdueto“illegalorganizationmembership.”Kutaywasarrested in remanddue topossessingpoemsandquotesbyAzizNesin,CemalSüreya,AhmedArid,AtaolBehramoğlu,AdnanYücel,CanYücel,YılmazGüney,CheGuevaraandformer Uruguay President Jose Mujica on his cell phone. The indictment of the caseincludedapaperbesidespoemsandphotographs,whichdepictedtheKurdishalphabet.The paper was described as “the table on which future protests and activities wereencoded.”

LawsuitagainstlawyersonJusticeWatchA lawsuit was filed against ninelawyers, who were attacked by thepoliceandweretakenintocustodyatthemeetingoftheJusticeWatchon6April 2017 to protest againstunrightfularrests.Theproceedingofthelawyerswillstarton12July2018

atIstanbul50thCriminalCourtofFirstInstancewithclaimsofimprisonmentfor3yearseachduetoresistingsecurityforcesdespitewarnings.Theindictmentofthecaseassertedthedefendantlawyershaveorganizedmeetingsanddemonstrations inside a public building without permission by organizing a sit-inprotest in front of the Themis statues at the entrance of the courthouse. TheProsecutor’s Office claimed that the police used “proportionate force” to disperse theprotestersduring intervention. Inthepolicesummarywithinthe investigationfile, theprotestinsidethecourthousewasclaimedtohavebeeninterveneddueto“protectionofgovernmentauthorityagainstdisruptions.”

LawsuitsagainstsocialmediapostsinArtvinTheproceedingofNurcanVayiç,whowasarresteddueto“makingterroristorganization propaganda” with hersocial media posts in Hopa, Artvin,started this week. Socialist Party ofthe Oppressed (ESP) Hopa District

Executive Vayiç remained under arrest for 45 days and was later released on 8

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December2017.The indictmentof the caseatArtvinHighCriminalCourt includesanarticleontheculturaldestructioninSurdistrictofDiyarbakır,newsonthefightagainstISIS inSyriaand Iraqaswellasanewsarticleon thereleaseof thosearresteddue tocarryingphotographsascrimeevidence.OnthesamedayasVayiç,herhusbandresearcher-writerCemilAksustoodtrialdueto“making terrorist organization propaganda” through his social media posts. Also theHopaDistrictChairmanof thePeople’sDemocraticParty (HDP),Aksuwasarrested inOctoberduetosharinganote,titled,“GigglesofKazlıçeşmeCockade,”initiallypublishedbyaFacebookaccount;andwas laterreleasedafter59daysunderarrest.Thesecondhearingsofbothcaseswerescheduledto16February2018.

11acquittedofprotestingagainst‘GreenRoad’One of two lawsuits filed due to theprotests against the 8-kilometerconnection road planned to beconstructed between valleys inÇamlıhemşin district of Rize withinthe ‘Green Road’ project concludedwith acquittal. Pazar Criminal Courtof First Instance issued the acquittal

of11defendantsontrialdueto“violatingthefreedomtowork.”Thelawsuitagainst13defendants, on trialwith the samechargeat the samecourt,waspostponed to8May2018.

Trustee assigned atFurkanFoundationAdana Criminal Court of FirstInstanceassigned trustees toFurkanEducation and Service Foundationafter the custody of 28 executivesandmembers,includingtheFounder-Chairman Alparslan Kuytul withpolice raids. Adana Chief Public

Prosecutor’s Office filed an investigation against the foundation due to “conductingactivitiesagainstpublicsafetybyactinginunityofopinionandactioncontradictingtheConstitutional order” and “establishing a criminal organization.” Adana Governoratethenannouncedatemporarybanonthefoundation’sactivities.Ontheotherhand, fivepeople, includingKuytul,werearresteddueto“willfullyaidingandabettingFETÖ/PDY,PKK/KCK,AlQaidaandDAESarmed terroristorganizations,”“establishingandmanagingacriminalorganization”and“forgeryofprivatedocumentsandmajorcorruptionwithinorganizationalactivities.”

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TwojournalistsarrestedJournalist Mete Cem Bahtiyar, whowas taken into custody in Balıkesirdue to his social media posts andnews he reported for BirGünNewspaper, was arrested due to“making illegal organizationpropaganda.”Indicatingthatheisnotperforming active journalism for the

last three years, Bahtiyar stated, “I was previously a reporter at the national BirGünNewspaper.ThechargesimposedonmearepostsImadethroughrelatedsources.”EtkinNewsAgency(ETHA)reporterAliSönmezKayar,whowastakenintocustodyonFebruary1st,wasarresteddueto“illegalorganizationmembership.”Fivemorepeople,whoweretakenintocustodytogetherwithKayar,werearrested.ThosearrestedincludeSocialistPartyoftheOppressed(ESP)DeputyChairmanSıtkıGüngörandSocialistYouthAssociationsFederation(SGDF)CentralExecutiveBoardmemberAliDenizEsen.

ConstitutionalCourtdecreesConstitutional Court (AYM) decidedfor a violation of freedom ofexpression in the case of the citizen,who was sentenced to judicial finedue to “insultingapublicofficerdueto his duty” through his expressionscriticizing the judiciary in the emailhe sent to a Chief Public Prosecutor

oftheCourtofAppeals.DefendantArifAltın,whousedtheexpressions,“...Youhavezeroreputation in the eyes of an ordinary citizen like myself,” had been sentenced to 12thousandTLjudicialfineatAnkara2ndCriminalCourtofPeace.On theotherhand, theconvictionofdefense lawyerKeleşÖztürkwasdecided tobeaviolation of freedom of expression. Öztürkwas sentenced to 6080 TL judicial fine byIstanbul 2nd High Criminal Court due to “insulting a public officer due to his duty.”Öztürkcriticized theopinionof thehearingProsecutoron thebasisofa case in2009,saying,“TheProsecutoreitherdidnotgraduatefromthefacultyoflaw,orhedidn’treadthe case file… Iamagraduateof IstanbulUniversityFacultyofLaw,and IdonotknowwhichfacultyoflawtheProsecutorisagraduateof.”AYM issued another verdict of “violation of freedom of expression” regarding a newsarticle on the webpage of Manşet Newspaper, publishing local in Bartın. Bartın 1stCriminalCourtof First Instancepreviously sentencedHulusiElmas,who reported thedefeat of a boxerwith the headline, “He left the ring crawling,” to judicial fine due to“insult.”AYMissuedtheverdicttohaveviolatedfreedomofexpression.In the application of Dilan Ögüz Canan, who was on trial due to “organizing andparticipating in illegalmeetings anddemonstrations”due toparticipating in aprotest

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demonstration in 2008, AYM issued a violation of the right to meeting anddemonstrationaswell as the right to trial in a reasonableperiodof time. Cananwasconvictedtwice inthe longtrialingperiod, theverdictswererevokedbyhighercourtsand then the case was postponedwith three years of monitored release. The HigherCourtindicatedthattheapplicantwassentencedonlyduetoparticipatinginameetinganddemonstration.

‘Partial’annulmentofBTK’sauthoritytobanaccessConstitutional Court (AYM) annulledthe authorityof the InformationandCommunication TechnologiesAuthority (BTK) to ban access tocontent on the Internet constituting“the crime of explicit content.” TheHigh Court decided that it is againstthe Constitution to provide an

authoritytotheadministrationtobanaccesstocontentwithoutclearextentandlimits.Statingthattheverdictispositive,Prof.Dr.YamanAkdenizremindedthatTwitterandYouTubewereshutdownwiththeauthorityfromthedebatedarticle.An administrativemeasure can be applied onwebsites,without court decrees,withincatalogue crimes such as “encouragement of suicide, child pornography, prostitution,explicitness,crimesagainstAtatürk”etc.inaccordancewiththeLawNo.5651.Onlythe“explicitness” regarding this authority was annulled and the decisionwill be enactedonlyayearlater-whichmeansBTKwillbeabletousetheauthority(whichisagainsttheConstitution)foranotheryear.AYM,ontheotherhand,didnotmakeanychangesontheauthorityoftheBTKChairmantoofficiallydecideonbanningonlinecontentwithinothercataloguecrimes.Accessbanscontinuewithfullspeed.Fourmorenewswebsiteswerebannedtoaccessthisweek,includingthewebsiteof1HaberVarPlatformandthewebsiteofMesopotamiaAgency.1HaberVarPlatformwasestablishedbyworkersofTVandRadios,whichwerepreviouslyshutdownwithemergencydecrees.

THISWEEKONTHEMUSEUMOFCRIMESOFTHOUGHT

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Erdogan said "TheAfrin operation has actually started on the scene, andMenbicwillfollowit."onJanuary20.Kılıçdaroğlusaid,"Wehavefullsupport fortheAfrinoperation"afterthestatementofDevlet Bahceli "It is our legitimate right to enter Afrin" and on the 20th day of theoperation,Kılıçdaroğlusaid"hedidnotfinditrighttoenterthecity."

124peoplewhoparticipatedintheprotestactionsand449peoplesharingsocialmediaposts related to Afrin operation were taken into custody for 'propaganda of theorganization'.Atleast41peoplewerearrestedforsocialmediasharing.PresidentRecepTayyipErdoğanhasdeclaredtheintellectualsandTTB,whoopposetheAfrinoperationandmadeapeacecall,a"traitor".

TheSyrianHumanRightsObservatoryannouncedthatduringtheAfrinoperation,nine-daybombingoftheTurkishArmedForcesresultedinthedeathsof42Kurds,ArabsandArmenians,including12childrenand7civilianwomen.As Turkish Armed Forcesmade statements regarding the number of those killed, thecoffinsofthesoldierswrappedwithflagsbegantocome.

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● Ertuğrul Mavioğlu testified at the 37th High Criminal Court on February 5th,within the lawsuitgiledagainst thedirectorsofBakur/Kuzeydocumentarydueto“makingillegalorganizationpropaganda.”ÇayanDemirel,whowasexprectedto testify on February 8th, could not attend the hearing due to health issues.DemirelwilltestifyinBatman.

● The “Media-FETÖ” Case with 29 defendants, including Murat Aksoy and AtillaTaş, continuedonFebruary6th,Tuesday, at the25thHighCriminalCourt.Thecourt decided for arrested defendant Halil İbrahim Balta to be released withjudicial control due to health reasons. The Prosecutor claimed the release ofGökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu; whereas the court decided for all other arresteddefendantstoremainarrested,includingÇulhaoğlu.Thenexthearingofthecasewasscheduledfor22February2018.

● Lawsuits continued against the Academics fr Peace. The hearings of theacademicson trialwereheld at the34thHighCriminalCourtonFebruary6th,Tuesday.The lawsuitsofotheracademics,on trialat33rdHighCriminalCourt,wereheldonFebruary8th,Thursday.Thenexthearingswillbeheldon19June,5Julyand10July2018.

● Thecaseagainstthosewhoperformedaprotestofcivildisobediencetosupportthe Academics for Peace stood trial on February 8th at Aydın Söke 2nd HighCriminalCourt.Wecouldnotyetreachtheresultofthehearing.

TrialsNextWeek● The“FETÖ-CoupAttemptMediaStructuring”Casewillbeheldatthe26thHigh

Criminal Court on February 12thwith defendants Ahmet Altan,Mehmet Altan,NazlıIlıcakandothers.Thehearingwillstartat10:00.

● The second hearing of the case filed against artist Suavi due to “insulting thePresident”willbeheldatIzmir33rdCriminalCourtofFirstInstanceonFebruary13th.

● CasescontinueagainstAcademics forPeace.Thehearingsofacademicson trialwillbeheldonFebruary13thand15thatIstanbul34thand36thHighCriminalCourts.

● PhotoreporterÇağdaşErdoğanhadbeen taken intocustodyandarrestedwhiletaking photographs at Kalamış beach due to “taking photos of social facilitiesbelonging to the National Intelligence Agency.” The first hearing of the caseagainstErdoğanwillbeheldat Istanbul33rdHighCriminalCourtonFebruary13th, Tuesday, with an imprisonment claim against him up to 22,5 years. Thehearingwillstartat11:15.

● The thirdhearingof the case againstRepublicanPeople’s Party (CHP) IstanbulMPEnisBerberoğluatthe2ndPenalDepartmentofIstanbulRegionalCourtwillcontinue on February 13th. Berberoğlu was recently sentenced to 25 years ofimprisonment by Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court due to providing formerCumhuriyet Newspaper Editor-In-Chief Can Dünday with visuals of trucksbelongingtotheTurkishNationalIntelligence.

● ThecaseagainstPeople’sDemocraticParty(HDP)Co-ChairSelahattinDemirtaşdueto“administeringanarmedterroristorganization”willconitnueonFebruary14th,WednesdayatAnkara19thHighCriminalCourt.

● The case against İnan Ketenciler and Perihan Mağden due to insulting thePresidentwillbeheardonFebruary15thatIstanbul2ndCriminalCourtofFirstInstance.Thehearingwillstartat10:50.

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● ThecaseagainstRepublicanPeople’sParty(CHP) IstanbulMPEnisBerberoğlu,Cumhuriyet Newspaper’s former Editor-In-chief Can Dündar and thenewspaper’sAnkararepresentativeErdemGül

● CHPİstanbulMilletvekiliEnisBerberoğlu,CumhuriyetGazetesieskiGenelYayınYönetmeni Can Dündar ve gazetenin Ankara temsilcisi Erdem Gül’ün MİTtırlarınıngörüntülerininyayınlanmasına ilişkinyargılandığıdava16Şubatgünü14.AğırCezaMahkemesi’ndegörülecek.