MEDIA MONITORING DATABASE
Özgür Gündem Editor-in-Chief on Watch Derya Okatan – trial for “publishing the statements of a terrorist organization”
RELATED PERSON OR INSTITUTION
Derya Okatan
CITY
İstanbul
YEAR OF INTERFERENCE
2017
LAST UPDATED
30/11/2019
TYPE OF STATEMENT
Political
MEDIUM
Print Media
Newspaper
THE TITLE OF WHOSE RIGHT IS INTERFERED
Editor / Editor-In-Chief
RIGHTS GUARANTEED UNDER THE RIGHT OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Right to Impart Information and Ideas
TYPE OF INTERFERENCE
Judicial Interference
Criminal Courts
Imposing the fines
THE LEGAL GROUNDS FOR INTERFERENCE
Anti-Terror Law
Art. 6/2

The Editors-in-Chief on Watch campaign of Özgür Gündem daily had begun on May 3, 2016 and ended on August 7, 2016. Daily was closed through the Statutory Decree No. 675 issued under the State of Emergency. Investigations have been launched against 50 of the 56 Editors-in-Chief on Watch who have participated in the solidarity campaign and 38 of them faced prosecution.

Standing trial for having participated in the “Editors-in-Chief on Watch” campaign in solidarity with the closed Özgür Gündem newspaper, Derya Okatan has been fined to 7000 TL by the İstanbul 22nd Heavy Penal Court on the charge of  “releasing or publishing terror organizations’ statements or declarations” on March 9, 2017. Okatan has been acquitted of the charge of “propagandising for a terrorist organisation”.