Cumhuriyet: imagined accusations and aspersions in the indictment
The
indictment against the publisher and writer Orhan Erinç, chief
executive officer Akın Atalay, editor-in-chief Murat Sabuncu, former
editor-in-chief Can Dündar, consultant and writer Kadri Gürsel,
editor of literary supplement Turhan Günay, writer Aydın Engin,
members of executive board of Cumhuriyet Foundation Hikmet Çetinkaya,
Hakan Kara, caricaturist Musa Kart, lawyers Bülent Utku, Mustafa
Kemal Güngör, reader representative Güray Öz, printing chief
Önder Çelik, reporter Ahmet Şık, chief financial officer Bülent
Yener and accounting manager Günseli Özaltay is completed after 5
months.
Journalist İlhan Tanır and Ahmet Aydoğdu, who owns a Twitter account named “jeansbiri”, are also included in the indictment as suspects.
The indictment was published in pro-government newspapers, before it was sent to the lawyers of the suspects.
The prosecution demands conviction with the charge of “assisting an armed terrorist organization without being a member and betrayal of trust”.
“Last 3 years”
In the indictment, it is stated that the newspaper started to act contrary to its 90-year heritage and founding principals in the last 3 years with the change in the executive board of Cumhuriyet Foundation.
It is claimed that the newspaper featured stories with destructive and separatist manipulations, covered the statements of the leaders of terrorist organizations that called for violence, depicted terrorist organizations as “nice and legitimate”, associated Turkish state with international terrorist organizations and there were complaints from the readers who stated that the newspapers seems like it was seized by terrorist organizations.
In the indictment, it is stated: “Especially after 2013, FETÖ [so-called terrorist organization founded and led by cleric Fethullah Gülen] almost seized Cumhuriyet and with Can Dündar, the newspaper took a different direction in contrast to its purposes and aims. During this period, the newspaper became the defender and guardian of terrorist organizations like FETÖ, PKK/KCK and DHKP/C.”
