Mesopotamia Agency (MA) reporter Dindar Karataş, who was arrested two days after being detained in Van on 24 November 2020 with the accusation of 'being a member of a terrorist organization' has been released at the first hearing against him. Being released after 2 and a half months, Karataş told that he used to wrote about violations of rights in prison, and now he experienced them in person.

 

'I EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND WHAT I WAS WRITING ABOUT'

 

Stating that the indictment against him was a 'copy-paste' indictment, Karataş said he saw that his articles about how there are no measures in prisons against the pandemic were also in the indictment as evidences of a crime. Karataş said: "I experienced first hand what I was writing about. I experienced how prisoners are forced to live in filthy cells during the pandemic."

 

WRITING ABOUT VIOLATIONS OF RIGHTS IS NOT A CRIME

 

Reminding that his articles about the violations of rights in the region were also considered to be evidences of a crime, Karataş said: "Writing about violations of rights is not a crime. We will continue to write about these violations, tortures and the policy of impunity."

 

PROSECUTOR THOUGHT HE WAS MY EDITOR

 

Explaining how some of his articles were 'edited', Karataş said: "The prosecutor selected some parts of these articles to be included in the indictment. I think he thought he was my editor. He asked me about my perspective on some articles. I told him it was not his business and it was my decision to determine my perspective. The prosecution thought he was an editor. They want to determine how journalists do their jobs. They want to draw a line there and accuse everyone pushing those limits. You get arrested when you push these limits."

 

'TRUTH HAS ITS OWN POWER'

 

Underlining tha fact that a number of his colleagues are still behind bars for their journalistic activities and articles they have written, Karataş said: "This is not acceptable. They never got any results from oppression and they never will. Because the truth has its own power. There is the legacy of Apé Musa (Musa Anter). We will continue to follow his path. 

 

Finally speaking about Adnan Bilen, Cemil Uğur, Şehriban Abi and Nazan Sala who was jailed for breaking the story about Osman Şiban and Servet Turgut, two villagers thrown from a military helicopter, Karataş said: "It is sad that our friends are still behind bars. I hope they are released soon as well. We will continue to bring the facts to the people."

 

 

MA / Müjdat Can