For Erol Önderoglu, RSF’s representative in Turkey
- For Erol Önderoglu, RSF’s representative in Turkey
Let’s do everything we can for Erol Önderoğlu, the representative of RSF in Turkey, who is facing a jail term !
Today Erol Önderoğlu and his two fellow defendants – the human rights defender Şebnem Korur Fincancı and the journalist Ahmet Nesin – are facing 14,5 years of prison. They were originally acquitted after three years of persecution. However, on 3 November 2020, the 3rd Penal Chamber of the Court of Appeals of Istanbul reversed the ruling of acquittal given on 17 July 2019.
What was their crime? A campaign of solidarity in which they and some 50 other well-known figures symbolically took turns at being the Kurdish opposition newspaper Özgür Gündem’s “editor for a day” in mid-2016 because it had been the victim of judicial persecution. Our representative is being prosecuted over three articles published in Özgür Gündem on 18 May 2016.
Those who, like Erol, had the courage to take a stand in defence of Turkish pluralism deserve to be praised, not to be tried and convicted.
The shocking number of closed media outlets, mass trials and journalists imprisoned in recent months confirms the importance of their struggle. Erol has been tireless in his defence of persecuted journalists for 23 years. Because of his diligence and integrity, which are known everywhere, he is a leading figure in the worlds of journalism and human rights. By targeting him, the Turkish authorities are trying to intimidate all journalists in Turkey. He has become the victim of the abuses he has always denounced. It is now up to us to campaign on his behalf.
We demand the acquittal of Erol Önderoğlu and his colleagues, Şebnem Korur Fincancı and Ahmet Nesin.
Sign this Reporters Without Borders petition and share it on social networks using the #SupportErol hashtag.
Read more : Joint statement in support of Erol Önderoğlu, facing 14 years in prison
Türkiye
