Turkish Cypriot journalist Ali Kismir
Oct 10,
2023. Posted by Balkan
Periscope - Hellas
Case centres on a meeting
held by Turkey to sway 2020 Turkish Cypriot elections
The unprecedented criminal case that has raised eyebrows both locally and
internationally, in which Turkish Cypriot journalist Ali Kismir faces up to ten
years in prison for “insulting and defaming” the Turkish Cypriot security
forces, began on Friday.
Kismir is being charged for an article about Turkey’s meddling in the 2020 elections for Turkish Cypriot leader. The journalist, who is also the president of the Turkish Cypriot Journalists Union (Basin-Sen), had written that Turkish officials held a meeting in a building belonging to the Turkish Cypriot security forces command to sway the elections in favour of current leader Ersin Tatar. He likened the security forces command building to a “brothel, where the will of Turkish Cypriots is sold and bought”.
After Friday’s hearing, which was postponed to October 27, Kismir’s lawyer
and head of the Turkish Cypriot Bar Association Hasan Esendagli explained to
the Cyprus Mail that the case is a dangerous precedent as it is the
first time a high criminal case has been brought against a journalist under the
law regulating military crimes and stipulates such a serious jail sentence.
“We are going through a period where we are facing everything we feared,”
said Esendagli, who is voluntarily defending Kismir. “Criminal cases against
people because of their opinions, ideas, words and articles are a practice of
outdated, oppressive regimes. Such actions are used as weapons to make sure
people are silent, that they fear to talk and write.”
As Turkey’s pressure on the media in the northern part of Cyprus grows,
there is a lot of fear in the community that this could be a first step in
following Ankara’s lead in imprisoning opposition journalists.
“Many journalists and dissidents are in jail in Turkey,” said Esendagli.
“Unfortunately, from the cases that are being brought, we are getting
indications that such a trend is also desirable here. There exists a mentality
that would like to create a similar situation here.”
Currently 21 journalists are imprisoned for their professional activities
in Turkey, according to the European Federation of Journalists EFJ. According
to the Independent Communication Network BIA, which monitors press freedom
violations in Turkey, during July-September 2023, an additional 206 journalists
were on trials facing prison sentences.
International non-profit organisation Reporters Without Borders RSF, which
defends and promotes press freedom around the world, also drew attention to
Turkey’s growing pressure on Turkish Cypriot journalists in its 2023 Press Freedom
Index.
“Sanctions and prosecution, including criminal proceedings, are being
brought against journalists, who criticise the Turkish or Turkish
Cypriot government, military, or authorities,” RSF said.
About Kismir’s case, Pavol Szalai, head of RSF’s EU-Balkans desk stated:
“By denouncing Turkey’s meddling in Turkish Cypriot elections, Ali Kismir was
just doing his job as a journalist. This abusive prosecution is nothing but an
attempt by the Turkish Cypriot authorities to intimidate and muzzle journalists.”
The case against Kismir drew strong reaction from opposition parties and
politicians, trade unions, intellectuals and local and international
journalists’ organisations.
Turkish Cypriot Akel MEP Niyazi Kizilyurek, in a parliamentary question
submitted to the European Commission, said: “This is an attempt by the
‘authorities’ to restrict press freedom and freedom of expression through the
threat of imprisonment… What steps does the Commission plan to take to secure
the civil rights, press freedom and freedom of expression of European citizens,
which are being violated in Turkish Cypriot community?”
Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci
Intervention
The enormous pressure Ankara put on the Turkish Cypriot community during
the 2020 leadership elections was documented in an investigative report, which
revealed shocking details of threats, pressures and blackmail against incumbent
leader Mustafa Akinci, as well as other candidates and journalists.
The meeting by Turkish officials including commanders and Turkish Central
Intelligence Agency MIT officials in a Turkish Cypriot security forces command
building to sway the elections in favour of the current leader Ersin Tatar –
the subject of Kismir’s article – was also confirmed by Akinci in this report.
According to Akinci, a number of Turkish Cypriot deputies invited to this meeting
were told by the-then Turkish ambassador in the northern part of Cyprus: “You
have before you not only the ambassador, but the Turkish state. The Republic of
Turkey definitely wants Tatar. It doesn’t want Akinci. For the Republic of
Turkey, this is a matter of survival. You will work to make sure Tatar is
elected.”
Tatar won the elections with 51.69 per cent of the votes, ousting Akinci.
Kismir, who is well known for his writings critical of Ankara’s policies
and its Ankara-backed leader Tatar, was one of the journalists who
received threats by Ankara during the same 2020 election campaign.
According to the report, Kismir was invited to meet with a team from
Turkey, who introduced themselves as “ambassadors of the Republic of Turkey”
and was told: “We are here to make sure Akinci is not elected… This man is an
enemy of Turkey… If Akinci is elected he will have very bad things happen to
him.”
Kismir was also told that he is on a list of ‘enemies of Turkey’.
In fact, Kismir was among a dozen Turkish Cypriot journalists, trade
unionists, writers and activists, who have been denied entry to Turkey in
recent years on grounds that they pose a security threat.
Kismir also lost his job at a local news portal earlier this year after
publishing an article criticising Tatar. His article was removed from the
website of the portal, and he was told that his web TV programme was also
cancelled. He was also told by his employers that “the office of Tatar and
others had called numerous times to complain” about him.
Shortly before Friday’s hearing, Kismir called on the Turkish Cypriot
community to defend not only his personal freedom of expression but the freedom
of expression of the whole society in what he described as a “political case
aimed at silencing dissident voices”.
“Unless this struggle turns into a social struggle, today it will be me,
who is on trial, and tomorrow it will be someone else,” said Kismir. “We have
to say, ‘enough is enough’.”
Cyprus-mail
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