Message from Silivri: We are holding the justice watch with honour

CHP MP Atila Sertel visited the Cumhuriyet newspaper detainees in Silivri Prison. Atila Sertel, having spoken separately to Akın Atalay, Ahmet Şık and Murat Sabuncu, gave the information that the three are in good spirits and health.

Izmir MP Atila Sertel, saying that their lengthy periods of detention had turned into punishments, commented, “The indictment in the Cumhuriyet newspaper was only drafted after 156 days. They were able to appear before a judge after nine months. The time in detention has exceeded one year. One of the three people on the court bench makes a dissenting opinion – they are even divided among themselves. The law is creating division. Their lengthy periods of detention have turned into punishments and I ask: ‘Where are you, law?’”

Sertel, stating that Cumhuriyet newspaper’s Executive Board Chair Akın Atalay gave the message, “We are journalists and will continue to conduct journalism,” indicated that Atalay would continue to defend journalism and the principles of journalism at the 25-26 December hearing. As imparted by Sertel, Atalay sent the message, “What is important for me is Cumhuriyet newspaper surviving and the newspaper continuing to inform public opinion and make contact with society. All Cumhuriyet newspaper’s employees since Nadir Nadi have held the same concerns.”

We are neither unhappy nor hopeless

Atila Sertel, recalling that Cumhuriyet newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief Murat Sabuncu was detained two months after having taken up this post, said that Murat Sabuncu spent two months of his time on the job on the paper, while he had to complete fourteen months in jail. Sertel, saying, “Murat Sabuncu would like the following words from his mouth to be written down,” said, “We will stand up for our profession and newspaper with serious resolve. We have been in detention for fourteen months. Over those fourteen months, we have neither been unhappy, nor are we unhappy or hopeless. We are holding the justice watch with our honour.”