ESKİŞEHİR - Lawyer Esra Bilen stated that Bilge Aksu, one of the imprisoned journalists, has a recurrence of gout and Mehmet Uçar has been subjected to various violations.
The indictment of journalists Mehmet Uçar (Miheme Porgebol) and Bilge Aksu, who were arrested after being detained on 26 November through an Eskişehir based investigation, has not yet been prepared. Esra Bilen, the lawyer of the journalists held in Eskişehir Type H Closed Prison, spoke about the rights violations her clients have been subjected to.
Esra Bilen stated that they have filed a criminal complaint regarding the violations of rights their clients experienced during their detention. Esra Bilen pointed out that culture, art, ecology and political writings are criminalised and said, "Ideas and thoughts that do not conform to the official ideology, carrying out press activities, writing articles and even thinking about these ideas and thoughts are made grounds for arrest and trial. The duty of journalists is to enlighten the public onsocial issues."
Esra Bilen stated that the government does not tolarete any voice that speaks the truth and therefore turns to journalists and said, "As in this case, all journalistic activies are criminalised. A journalist who receives royalties for his/her news is asked 'Why did you receive this fee?' However, not receiving that fee has both legal and criminal consequences in terms of intellectual and industrial rights. The files opened with unreasonable methods, all of the detentions and arrests made are against the law."
Esra Bilen stated that her clients were subjected to strip searches in prison, they were not given food and water to drink. Esra Bilen stated that the legal process continues regarding the violations. Esra Bilen reacted to the fact that the indictment of their client has not been prepared despite the passage of months.
Esra Bilen stated that Aksu's gout disease recurred and stressed: "We learnt that Aksu was only taken to the infirmary, and that he was given painkillers at te infirmary, but these painkillers were not enough and he was not referred to a hospital. We have learnt that Mehmet Uçar was not given the 'receipt' documents indicating that his petitions were processed, and that even the paper and pens they requested from the canteen were not delivered to them. We have learnt that the books sent to him by his brother were not delivered, and that he was not given clothes for two weeks when he was first brought to prison."
MA / Enes Beyaz