A Turkish court on Wednesday convicted journalists from the opposition Cumhuriyet daily for helping outlawed “terrorist” organizations, but editors remained defiant, vowing their “honorable” journalism would not stop.
Cumhuriyet — which means “Republic” — was set up in 1924 after the Turkish republic was founded in 1923.
The newspaper has been fiercely critical of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and has run front-page stories that have angered the head of state.
The court in Silivri, outside Istanbul, handed out multiple sentences to 13 journalists and executives for “aiding and abetting terror organizations without being a member,” but they remain free pending appeal.
“No penalty can stop us from doing journalism. If needed, we will go to prison again, but we will continue to do journalism,” said editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu, who was among those convicted.
The judge ordered the release of Cumhuriyet chairman Akin Atalay, who had been in jail for more than 500 days.
Greeted by his wife, Adalet, and a crowd of supporters shortly after he walked free from prison, Atalay said Cumhuriyet would not succumb to pressure or threats.
“As we always say they cannot intimidate Cumhuriyet, which will continue to tell the truth to its readers,” he told reporters.
Atalay said that the journalists were taken “hostage” and the newspaper was demanded as a “ransom,” but he added: “This newspaper cannot be bought with money ... our colleagues will show how to do journalism.”
Accountant Emre Iper was also convicted on the separate charge of making terror propaganda and sentenced to three years, one month.
Three others including the newspaper’s books supplement editor Turhan Gunay were acquitted.
They were all charged with supporting, through their coverage, three organizations that Turkey views as terrorist groups — the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the ultra-left Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front and the Gulen movement blamed for the 2016 failed coup.
Supporters of the accused repeatedly said the charges against the journalists were absurd and that the trial was political.
Among those convicted were some of the biggest names in Turkish journalism, including investigative reporter Ahmet Sik.
Sik is seen as one of Turkey’s most incisive critics of the Gulen movement and in 2011 wrote an explosive book The Imam’s Army exposing the grip the group had on key Turkish institutions.
He was sentenced to seven years, six months, while veteran journalist Kadri Gursel was sentenced to two years, six months.
The court handed cartoonist Musa Kart a sentence of three years, nine months, while Sabuncu got seven years, six months.
Sabuncu said the punishment meted out by the court was not only given to him, “but to Turkey and to press freedom in Turkey” as authorities sought to deter others from real journalism.
However, he struck a defiant tone, adding that Cumhuriyet would “continue to do honest and honorable” journalism.
“It is the sword of Damocles. Do not be scared. Keep on doing journalism. Let’s keep on doing journalism together,” he said.
Gursel said the verdict was “a serious blow” to press freedom.
“This means an ultimatum, and a threat directed against people who announced their determination and insistence to do journalism,” Gursel said.
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