Jailed Turkish journalists to issue newspaper

PanARMENIAN.Net - Journalists apprehended under the country’s anti-terror laws are planning to publish a newspaper called the Arrested Journal with contributions of other Turkish intellectuals.

The newspaper’s first issue will reach newsstands on July 28, the anniversary of the repeal of censure over the press in 1908, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

“If an inch of progress is to be made in Turkey regarding the freedom of thought and expression, then anti-terror laws have to be entirely abolished. Since when has thought become a terrorist activity?” Necati Abay, the spokesperson for the Solidarity with Imprisoned Journalists Platform, or TGDP, said.

Some 60 journalists are currently in prison on anti-terror charges in Turkey, according to Abay, who said Turkey had managed to outscore China in this regard. The idea of publishing the newspaper was first advanced by the owner of Aram Publishing House, Bedri Adanır, who was arrested on anti-terror charges and jailed in Diyarbakır Prison, the TGDP spokesperson said.

The paper’s first issue will only feature the writings of arrested journalists, while future issues will also include the writings of other intellectuals from outside prisons, Abay said.

The aim is to create a newspaper without a fixed set of columnists, according to Abay. Instead, the writings of prominent intellectuals and journalists will be featured in the paper from time to time.

The journal will be distributed as a supplement to other dailies, eliminating the need for other distribution channels, said the spokesperson.

The Arrested Journal is also counting on support from other media sources regarding content, typesetting, printing and distribution, including the Kurdish-language Azadiya Welat, as well as other dailies such as BirGün, Cumhuriyet, Evrensel, Özgür Gündem and Aydınlık.