MARDİN – Released journalist Abdulkadir Turay stated that he was arrested on the grounds of his phone calls with news sources and the information he received, and that he was sentenced to 9 years in prison for a news story.

 

Dicle News Agency (DİHA) reporter Abdulkadir Turay, who was arrested in Mardin on May 9, 2016 and sentenced to 9 years in prison by the 2nd High Criminal Court for allegedly being a "being a member of a terrorist organization", was closed down with a Statutory Decree (KHK). Turay was released on June14. Turay, who completed his execution in March 2023 and had to be released, was released with a delay of 3 months due to the postponement of his release.

 

TURAY WAS ARRESTED FOR 7 YEARS

 

Turay, who was detained in Mardin Type E Closed Prison and then in Erzincan Type L Closed Prison, spoke about the arrest process and what happened in the prison. Stating that he was arrested in 2016 after a news article was cited as a justification, Turay said: "I was arrested due to the phone calls I made with my local sources and the information I received. Turay was sentenced to 9 years in prison for a news story. I was released 7 years later."

 

'THE RESISTANCE CONTINUES EVEN AT THE PRISON'

 

Noting that he saw that nothing can stand against free thought and free will in the 7 years he was imprisoned, Turay said: “I saw that in 7 years; While working as a journalist, in prison or outside, no obstruction, pressure can stand against free will and free thought. As a part of this people, as a free press, we struggled in the dungeon for 7 years, and tried to share with the public what happened with our articles. Wherever it is, everywhere is a place of resistance, everywhere is a place of freedom. Certainly; they may have physically put us in prison, between four walls, but when there is free will, no one has the power to break it. This resistance continues even in prison. These people are struggling. My struggle will continue in the same way. I came out of prison with my head held high, and from now on I will continue my struggle in public with the people. We will continue to be the voice, eyes and followers of these people in the face of mistakes, negativities and deficiencies."

 

ILL PRISONERS

 

Continuing his speech with the rights violations that especially ill prisoners are exposed to in prisons, Turay said: “We have experienced a lot in these 7 years. I witnessed the policy of repression in the prison. There are ill prisoners, seriously ill prisoners. There is no releasing them. There are prisoners to whom ATK has given a report that they cannot stay in prison. Despite this, these prisoners are not released. They are forced to live with problems. They are not treated. Prisoners who cannot meet their needs in prison are not released. They carry out a policy in this direction. The prison for ill prisoners becomes a prison for them twice. Medicines are not given, treatments are not given, referrals are not made. People 65-70 years old. There are those who cannot meet their own needs and are paralyzed. I saw them, there are disabled people, they cannot live in prison. Ill prisoners must therefore always be on the agenda. They should be released immediately. I call on the Human Rights Association, bar associations and non-governmental organizations to share the voices of these people with the public. I demand the release of these people as soon as possible."

 

MA / Ahmet Kanbal