365 enlightened signatures for 365 dark days: Release the Cumhuriyet staffers at once

The signatories to a petition calling for the release of the Cumhuriyet staffers were made public at a meeting held yesterday at the Taksim Hill Hotel. Istanbul Bar Association Chair, Mehmet Durakoğlu, who read the joint text that had been drawn up, recalling that Cumhuriyet newspaper’s managers, columnists and cartoonists had been arrested in an operation commencing on 31 October 2016 and placed in detention on 5 November, said, “The text submitted to the court called an indictment, just as much as it is totally devoid of concrete foundation, also blatantly violates the principle of legality in crime and punishment and tramples on legal certainty in the country. The Cumhuriyet newspaper trial has no other meaning than the endeavour to manufacture a crime out of a newspaper’s basic activity of reporting the news.” Durakoğlu, stressing that for as long as the Cumhuriyet trial continues, the people’s right to receive news and be informed and freedom of expression and the press will be under threat, and all journalists, writers and intellectuals who speak the truth, which is as necessary as bread and water, will continue to be targeted, commented, “We call on Akın Atalay, Murat Sabuncu, Ahmet Şık and Emre İper, who are being held in jail with an unlawful prosecution being pursued, and all journalists being detained in prison, to be immediately returned to freedom.”
 
Those who deserve to be on trial are not
 
Following Mehmet Durakoğlu’s statements, Constitutional Law Expert Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kaboğlu said that, especially under a state of emergency, the right to a fair trial was far more important.Kaboğlu, noting that the state of emergency would be extended until 2019, commented, “In the place of those who basically deserve to be on trial before the courts, the coupists and brotherhood members, people who are unconnected with this crime are being tried. With all these processes taking place, three things are not changing in Turkey. Environmental destruction, the religification of education and the effort to cow those in the opposition.” Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Chair, Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, opining that lawyers, journalists, doctors and those waging the struggle for human rights were a direct part of the quest for truth, said, “More than 150 journalists are detained, more than 150,000 public workers have been expelled. It is very important to stand together. It is necessary to turn this “open prison” into an enivironment that is free in its entirety.”
 
They want to hide the truths
 
Representative of the We Will Halt Women’s Murders Platform, Gülsüm Kav, in turn, stating that freedom of expression was regressing in Turkey, commented, “We say that a free press is a right. This is also above all the right of women. They want to hide the truths that concern half the population and by depriving people of the right to learn these truths they want to hide the truths that relate to women. Women suffer violence because they wish to express themselves. Journalists are being punished for speaking of this.” Lawyer Gülendam Şan Karabulutlar, in turn, recalling the Justice Watch, said, “There was an intervention at the public prosecutor’s behest against the first Justice Watch. Despite the assault, participation increased the next week. This solidarity both gave public visibility to the detained journalists, and was a means for pressurising the political rulership and also served as great moral support for the detained journalists. Those on trial are journalists. Journalistic activity cannot be brought into association with crime.” Journalist Ertuğrul Mavioğlu then said that nobody could remain free with dozens of journalists held hostage. The press meeting ended with a cinevision display of footage of the protest held in Kadıköy.
 
THE SIGNATORIES ARE AS FOLLOW:
Abdullah Aydın - Educationalist
Abdullah Demirbaş - Educationalist
Adnan Çoker - Artist
Ahmet Aykaç  - Academic
Ahmet İnsel - Academic
Ahmet Özmen - Writer
Ahmet Tan - Writer
Ahmet Telli - Poet
Ahmet Türk
Ahmet Ümit - Writer
Akın Atauz - Writer
Akın Birdal
Akın Olgun - Writer
Akif Kurtuluş - Poet
Alev Er - Journalist, Writer
Ali Çerkezoğlu - Doctor
Aki Ekber Kayış - Musician
Ali Ergin Demirhan - Journalist
Ali Uçansu - Dentist
Ali Uğur Çağal - Artvin Bar Association Chair
Alper Turgut - Journalist
Ara Güler 
Arif Mardini - Academic
Arif Sağ - Musician
Arzu Çerkezoğlu - Doctor
Arzu Yılmaz - Academic
Aslı Aydıntaşbaş - Writer
Atilla Candır – Social Democracy Association Chair
Atilla Göktürk  - Academic
Ayça Söylemez - Journalist
Aydın Çıngı - Writer
Aydın Selcen - Writer
Ayşe Buğra - Academic 
Ayşe Erzan - Academic
Ayşe Kulin - Writer
Ayşegül Devecioğlu - Writer
Ayşegül Tözeren - Poet
Ayşen Aksakal - Writer
Ayşenur Arslan - Journalist
Babür Atilla – Social Democracy Foundation Chair
Bağış Erten - Journalist
Banu Güven - Journalist
Barbaros Şansal – Fashion Designer
Barış Atay - Actor
Barış İnce - Journalist
Barış Yıldırım - Tunceli Bar Association Chair
Belkıs Akkale - Musician
Belma Fırat - Writer
Beral Madra  - Curator
Berat Günçikan  - Journalist
Berhan Şimşek - Actor
Beril Eyüboğlu - Translator
Berrin Simavlıoğlu - Animator
Betül Mardin – Public Relations Expert
Beyza Üstün - Academic
Burcu Karakaş - Journalist
Burcu Sarak - Musician
Burhan Sönmez - Writer
Burhan Şenatalar - Academic
Burhan Şeşen - Musician
Bülent Mumay - Journalist
Bülent Özdoğan - Journalist
Büşra Ersanlı - Academic
Cahit Berkay - Musician
Cahit Kayra - Siyasetçi, Writer
Canan Kaftancıoğlu – Social Memory Platform
Candan Yıldız - Journalist
Celal Korkut Yıldırım - Turkish Social Economic Political Research Foundation Chair
Celalettin Can - 78'ers Foundation Spokesperson
Cem Kızılcec - Editor
Cem Ozil – Electrical Engineer
Cem Yılmaz – Music Composer
Cengiz Aktar - Academic
Cengiz Alp - Doctor
Cengiz Hakkı Zariç - Poet
Cengiz Murat Özgünay - Businessperson
Ceren Sözeri - Academic
Ceyda Karan - Writer
Cezmi Ersöz - Poet
Cihangir İslam - Academic
Cihangir Yalçınkaya - Architect
Çiğdem Anad - Journalist
Defne Halman - Actor
Deniz Koloğlu - Music Director 
Deniz Türkali - Actor
Doğan Akın - Journalist
Doğan Bermek - Architect
Doğan Tılıç - Journalist
Ece Temelkuran - Writer
Ece Zereycan - Journalist
Edip Akbayram - Musician
Ekrem Dönmez - Hatay Bar Association Chair
Elif Ilgaz - Journalist
Elif Yılmaz - Journalist
Elmas Eren – Friday Mother
Emel Korkmaz - Mother
Emin İgüs - Musician
Emin Koramaz - Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects General Chair
Emine Ocak - Friday Mother
Emine Uşaklıgil - Writer
Ercan İpekçi - Journalist
Ercan Karakaş
Ercan Kesal - Actor
Erdal Atabek  -Writer
Erdal Erzincan - Musician
Erdinç Ergenç - Journalist
Ergin Yıldızoğlu - Writer
Erinç Yeldan - Academic 
Erk Acarer - Journalist
Erol Katırcıoğlu - Academic
Erol Kızılelma - Sailor
Erol Önderoğlu - Journalist
Ersin Salman - Advertiser
Ertuğrul Mavioğlu - Journalist
Esra Arsan - Academic
Esra Mungan - Academic
Eşber Yağmurdereli 
Eylem Altınel - Doctor
Eylem Koçyiğit - Artist
Ezel Akay - Director
Ezgi Başaran - Journalist
Ezgi Cankurtan - Journalist
Fadime Göktepe - Mother
Faruk Eren - Journalist
Fatih Polat - Journalist
Fatih Kanat - Writer
Fatmagül Berktay - Academic
Fatoş Güney
Fehim Caculi - Administrator
Fehim Işık - Journalist
Fehim Taştekin - Journalist
Ferhan Şensoy - Actor
Ferhat Tunç - Musician
Feryal Öney - Musician
Ferzan Özpetek - Director
Fikret Başkaya - Writer
Fikret Kuşkan - Actor
Gaye Boralıoğlu - Writer
Genco Erkal - Actor
Gençay Gürsoy - Academic
Gökçer Tahincioğlu - Journalist
Gökhan Durmuş - Journalist
Gülhan Türkay - Academic
Gülriz Sururi - Actor
Gülseren Onanç  - Businessperson
Gülsüm Elvan - Anne
Gülsüm Kav - We Will Halt Women’s Murders Platform
Gülşah Karadağ - Journalist
Gülşen İşeri - Journalist
Gülten Kaya – Music Composer
Gürhan Ertür – Communications Consultant
Gürkan Altun  - Bursa Baro Başkanı
Gürol Sözen - Artist
H. Neşe Özgen - Academic
Hacer Ansal - Academic
Hakan Canduran - Ankara Baro Başkanı
Hakan Tahmaz - Writer
Hakkı Özdal - Journalist
Hale Soygazi  - Actor
Halil Ergün - Actor
Halil Yavuz Ertürk - Artist
Haluk Hepkon - Publisher
Hamide Yiğit - Writer
Hanife Yıldız - Friday Mother
Hasan Cemal - Journalist
Hasan Güreliler - Businessperson
Hüseyin Aykol  - Journalist
Hüseyin Tahmaz - Journalist
Hüseyin Turan - Musician
İbrahim Aydın - Journalist
İbrahim Kaboğlu - Academic
İdris Akyüz  - Journalist
İhsan Eliaçık - Writer
İlhan Taşçı - Journalist
İlkay Akkaya - Musician
İnci Hekimoğlu - Journalist
İrfan Aktan - Journalist
İrfan Değirmenci - TV News Reporter
İsmail Saymaz - Journalist
Kani Beko - Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey General Chair
Karin Karakaşlı - Journalist
Kasım Akbaş - Academic
Kasım Yeter - Artist
Kemal Can - Journalist
Kemal Göktaş - Journalist
Kerem Altıparmak - Academic
Kerem Kekeç - Musician
Korkut Boratav - Academic
Korkut Ertürk - Academic
Kumru Başer - Journalist
Kumru Toktamış  - Academic
Kuvvet Lordoğlu - Academic
Levent Akçasu - Engineer
Levent Üzümcü - Actor
Mazlum Çimen - Musician
Mehmet Durakoğlu - Istanbul Bar Association Chair
Mehmet Gözcü - Publisher
Mehmet Karlı - Academic
Mehmet Türkay - Academic
Mehmet Y. Yılmaz - Journalist
Mehtap Doğan - Journalist
Mehveş Evin - Journalist
Melda Onur – Social Rights Association Chair
Melek Ulagay Taylan – Documentary Maker
Menderes Samancılar - Actor
Meral Tamer - Journalist
Mete Tapan - Academic
Metin Bakkalcı - Doctor
Mevlüt İlgen - Psychologist
Mine Kırıkkanat - Writer
Mine Söğüt - Writer
Muammer Keskin - Accountant
Mukaddes Orçun - Journalist
Mural Başol - Artist
Murat Belge - Writer
Murat Timur - Van Bar Association Chair
Murat Uyurkulak - Writer
Mustafa Atalay - Accountant
?Mustafa Elveren - Educationalist
?Mustafa Gazalcı - Writer
?Mustafa Karadağ - Jurist
?Mustafa Paçal - Trade Unionist
?Mustafa Sönmez - Economist
?Mücella Yapıcı - Architect
Müjde Ar - Actor
Nadire Mater  - Journalist
Nalan Çelik - Writer
Namık Koyuncu - Poet
Nazan Özcan - Journalist
Nazar Büyüm - Writer
Nazım Alpman - Journalist
Nebil Özgentürk – Documentary Maker
Necdet Saraç - Writer
Necmiye Alpay - Linguist
Nergiz Ovacık - Engineer
Nesrin Nas - Academic
Nesteren Davutoğlu – Communications Consultant
Neşe Erdilek - Sociologist
Nevin Sungur - Journalist
Nevşin Mengü - Journalist
Nevzat Onaran - Journalist
Nida Karabol - Producer
Nihat Durak - Director
Nihat Falay - Academic
Nil Mutluer - Writer
Nilgün Ongan - Academic
Nilüfer Tapan - Academic
Nimet Tanrıkulu – Human Rights Activist
Nur Sürer - Actor
Nurcan Baysal - Writer
Nurettin Öztatar  - Journalist
Oktay Belli - Archaeologist
Onur Akın - Musician
Orhan Alkaya - Actor
Orhan Bursalı - Writer
Orhan Pamuk - Writer
Orhan Silier  - Historian
Osman Elbek - Doctor
Osman Ulagay - Journalist
Oya Başak - Academic
Oya Baydar - Writer
Oya Ersoy – People’s Houses Chair
Ozan Açıktan - Director
Öget Tanör - Academic
Ömer Esrun - Diplomat
Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu - Doctor
Ömer Laçiner - Writer
Ömer Madra- Writer
Ömür Çınar Elçi - Academic
Özcan Alper - Director
Özgür Mumcu - Writer
Özgür Müftüoğlu - Academic
Özlem Yüzak  - Writer
Öztürk Türkoğlu – Human Rights Association General Chair
Pınar Türenç - Journalist
Polat Balkan - Antalya Bar Association Chair
Ragıp Duran - Journalist
Rahmi Saltuk - Musician
Rahmi Yıldırım - Journalist
Reis Çelik - Director
Reyan Tuvi  - Director
Rıdvan Turan - Doctor
Rıza Türmen - Diplomat
Romina Özipekçi - TV Programme Maker
Rona Aybay - Academic
Sadık Gürbüz - Musician
Sadun Sönmez - Businessperson
Samet Mengüç - Doctor
Saruhan Oluç  - Journalist
Sedat Ergin - Journalist
Selçuk Erez - Istanbul Medical Chamber Chair
Sema Bayraktar - Academic
Sema Bulutsuz - Academic
Semih Sökmen - Publisher
Sema Somersan - Journalist
Serap Aksoy - Actor
Serra Yılmaz - Actor
Seivç Erbulak  - Actor
Sezen Aksu - Musician
Sibel Özbudun - Academic
Sibel Yerdeniz - Writer
Sinan Taşçı - Artist
Suavi - Musician
Süha Oğuzerten - Academic
Süleyman Çelebi - Trade Unionist
Şenar Yurdatapan - Musician
Şebnem Korur Fincancı - Academic
Şebnem Sönmez - Actor
Şeniz Pamuk - Psychologist
Şerif Turgut - Journalist
Şeyda Ozil - Academic
Şükran Soner - Writer
Şükrü Küçükşahin - Journalist
Tanıl Bora - Writer
Tarık Tolunay - Artist
Tatyos Bebek - Dentist
Tayfun Atay - Writer
Temel Demirer  - Writer
Teoman Madra – Photographic Artist
Tilbe Saran - Actor
Timur Soykan - Journalist
Tolga Sağ - Musician
Tuğçe Tatari - Journalist
Tuğrul Keskin - Poet
Tuna Çelik - Journalist
Turan Akbaş - Writer
Türkcan Baykal - Doctor
Uğur Yücel - Actor
Ümit Kıvanç - Writer
Ünsal Ünlü - Journalist
Vecdi Erbay - Journalist
Vecdi Sayar  - Critic
Vedat Sakman - Musician
Veli Küçük - Adana Bar Association Chair
Volkan Yosunlu - Actor
Yakup Kepenek - Academic
Yalçın Dal – Political Scientist
Yalçın Sadak - Critic
Yaprak Zihnioğlu - Writer
Yaşar Kartoğlu – Art Director
Yavuz Çelenk - Architect
Yavuz Oğhan - Journalist
Yeşim Ustaoğlu - Director
Yetvart Danzikyan - Journalist
Yıldıray Çınar – Comic Book Artist
Yıldız Say - Academic
Yılmaz Odabaşı - Poet
Yunus Tonkuş – Sculptor 
Yusuf Doğan – Joint Living Development Foundation
Yusuf Karataş - Journalist
Yücel Tunca – Photographic Artist
Yüksek Selek - Educationalist
Zafer Aydın - Writer
Zafer Kazan - Sakarya Bar Association Chair
Zehra Arat - Academic
Zeki Tombak - Writer
Zeynep Erdim - Journalist
Zeynep Oral - Writer
Zeynep Özatalay  - Illustrator
Zeynep Tanbay – Choreographer 
Ziya Yergök - Journalist
Zulal - Artist
Zülfü Livaneli - Musician