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When Hürriyet came to kiosks in October, readers in Turkey expected usual bad news. As it has been for months, re is thwarted coup attempt with hundreds of deaths, tens of thousands of layoffs of officials and academics, tens of thousands of arrests of suspected Gülen supporters. And re are more than 150 detained journalists, including Germans. Not to mention how all this burdens relations with Germany, EU and USA. And how president continues to lead country with a hard hand against any international criticism. What should readers still be surprised about?
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But column of Abdulkadir Selvi in that Hürriyet issue contained a clue that particularly made liberal Turks sit up. Was re a change of direction? Selvi maintains good contacts with government, so well that some people explain it to Regierungsnah. At end of his article, columnist describes how he had been running a few days earlier when Turkish President received Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül. He was carrying files under his arm and was in a hurry. Where minister wanted, Selvi did not find out, but so much he could betray readers: “There will be important changes in judiciary. Steps are being taken to normalise situation of detained journalists and intellectuals. That’s all I can say now, “he wrote.
© Michael Heck Hasan Gabriel editor in Department of Politics, Economy and society, time online to authors page
And today? The lawsuits against employees of main opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet last. In fact, not all but many of se journalists are free – albeit under conditions. The opposition bread at about end of September, when esteemed Cumhuriyet columnist Kadri Gürsel was released from custody. The lawsuit against him for terrorist support continues, but he is no longer in prison.
Steudtner, Tolu and soon Yücel?
The relief was also great among German politicians, when on Monday German journalist and translator Meşale Tolu was dismissed after diplomatic tug between Turkey and Germany from detention in Istanbul. She is not allowed to leave country, but can make hopes of an acquittal. On Tuesday it was also announced that German sociologist Sharo Garip may leave for Germany. His departure ban was lifted by a court in Istanbul.
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Previously, German human rights activist Peter Steudtner had been surprisingly released from custody after he had been detained for more than three months. He was allowed to leave for Germany, as Public Prosecutor’s Office waived conditions. The fact that he is still guilty at end of trial is unlikely.
The world’s Turkey correspondent, Deniz Yücel, has been in custody for almost a year. It hit him particularly hard, because he had to endure a long period of solitary confinement – until he was moved to anor cell a few weeks ago, where he could have contact with or prisoners. Colleagues, friends, relatives, supporters: in Germany and Turkey, re are now many hopes that Yücel will also be dismissed – or process may even be completely eliminated. There is still no indictment.
Acquittal is not excluded
Yücels case is likely to be much more difficult than that of Tolu or Steudtner. Yücel has disadvantage that he is most prominent German prisoner in Turkey. So famous that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan publicly entered his person and declared him an agent and a terrorist. The concessions for Yücel, who hid for four weeks at German Consulate General near Bosphorus, would not exist, Erdoğan clarified. Besides German, world correspondent also has Turkish citizenship. He is legally subject to Turkish authority. The Yücel case is complicated.
But, like so many things in Turkey, everything is a matter of interpretation in end. Observers do not consider it impossible that after Steudtner and Tolu world correspondent will be spared a long process. Politicians in Turkey can be quite pragmatic, because society is too. Should Yücel be acquitted, no one would speak to president on his accusation that Yücel was an agent. The Turkish reality also includes fact that Steudtner, Tolu and Yücel do not play a major role in public opinion. Also Tolus release was not a big number in Turkish media. As far as Yücel is concerned, at end of most Turks only memory of some German-Turkish journalist who was once in custody remained.
