This is a heartbreaking document. Below is a simple list of scheduled court hearings over three days for people charged with offenses against Turkey's draconian laws restricting free speech. For September 18 to September 20 -- by all accounts, three ordinary days in Turkey's court calendar -- the Istanbul-based Freedom of Expression NGO lists twelve cases in Istanbul and Ankara alone.

Examples: Halil Savda stands accused of reading out a press release in praise of Israeli soldiers who refused to serve in Lebanon. Conscientious objector Serpil Koksal was arrested for carrying a placard saying “Don’t be a soldier.” Journalist Irfan Ucar is charged with “humiliating the government, the justice system, police and the military forces of the state” after complaining about law number 301, which criminalizes exactly such criticism.

Turkey’s government has done a lot to break down the totalitarian legacy of military rule in the country, at least in part to garner support for its bid for membership in the European Union someday. But as this list shows, Ankara has very far to go before it approaches anything like European ideas of free speech. 

This week's work program:

Accused                                  : Erdal Dogan

Court and Date of Hearing   : Beyoglu 4th Legal Court of First Instance – 18 September 2007 at 09:37 am

Introduction                           : Retired general Veli Küçük filed a suit against the lawyer of Hrant Dink over him saying ¨Hrant was feeling nerves about Küçük¨. Küçük, claime 10 thousand lira compansation. The case is handled by Beyoğlu primary court.

Accused                                 : Umur Hozatli

Court and Date of Hearing   : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:00 am

Introduction                           : The case is against writer and director Umur Hozatlı over his article published in ¨Ülkede Özgür Gündem¨ daily. Hozatlı wrote ¨Turkish Police Organisation has a reputation of intimidating people without distinguishing between criminals and the innocent, working for petty personal interest¨. Hozatlı is charged with ¨insulting the police¨.

Accused                                 : Umur Hozatli, Nurettin Akalp

Court and Date of Hearing   : Beyoğlu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:00 am

Introduction                           : 12 September is a good day to kill a boy in Diyarbakır (meaning Fevzi Abık). Good kids of 12 September coup have become known under the names of ¨TİT¨, ¨JİT¨ or JİTEM¨. Hozatlı is charged with insulting the security forces.

Accused                                 : Yilmaz Celik

Court and Date of Hearing   : Ankara 11th High Criminal Court, 19 September 2007 at 09:15 am

Introduction                           : The case is opened against Yılmaz Çelik, Hizb-ut Tahrir´s Turkey rep. with the charge of ¨being an executive member of a terrorist organisation¨. Despite the fact that in the records of the security department there has not been any violent act by the organisation, prosecution defined the organisation as a terrorist group. Çelik´s sending postcards to some people with that signature during Ramadan was one of the justifications of the charge.

Accused                                 : Siman Kara

Court and Date of Hearing   : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:30 am

Introduction                           : The case is against journalist Sinan Kara over his report criticising the army published in ¨Ülkede Özgür Gündem¨ daily. He is charged with ¨insulting the military organisation of the state through press¨.

Accused                                 : Ahmet Alper Gormus

Court and Date of Hearing   : Bakırköy 2nd Criminal Court of Fisrt Instance, 19 September 2007 at 09:30 am

Introduction                           : A case was opened against the chief editor of Nokta magazine Alper Görmüş with the charge of insulting and slandering against the former commander of the Navy Özden Örnek. Nokta published diaries claimed to belong to Örnek. Magazine reports qouting the diaries argued that there were military coup plans in 2004. Görmüş faces imprionment upto 6 years and 8 months.

 
Accused                                 : Ahmet Onal

Court and Date of Hearing   : İstanbul 11th High Criminal Court, 19 September 2007 at 09:50 am

Introduction                           : Istanbul 11th High Criminal Court referred the case to Kadikoy Criminal Court of First Instance. The case against Onal under TPC article 220 will be continued under Fighting Terror Law article 7. Article 7 carries 5 years prison sentence and fines for “propagandating terrorism.”

Accused                                 : Halil Savda

Court and Date of Hearing   : Istanbul 1st Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 10:00 am

Introduction                           : Savda has been charged with “alieanating people from military service” over reading out a press release in support of the two Israeli soldiers Amir Paster and Itzik Shabbat who were imprisoned for 28 days over refusing to take part in operations against civilians in Lebanon.

Accused                                 : Irfan Ucar, Hasan Bayar

Court and Date of Hearing   : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 10:00 am

Introduction                           : The case was opened against journalists İrfan Uçar and the responsible editor of Gündem daily Hasan Bayar over an article ¨number 301¨ by Uçar published on 13 December 2005 dated issue of the paper. The complainant is Ministry of Justice. Uçar and Bayar are charged with humiliating the government, the justice system, police and the military forces of the state.

Accused                                 : Sinan Kara

Court and Date of Hearing   : Beyoglu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 19 September 2007 at 10:00 am

Introduction                           : The case is over an article by Sinan Kara published in the website www.memleketinsesi.com on 25 January 2005. Kara wrote Datça´s district administrator (kaymakam) Savaş Tuncer turned a blind eye to and favoured the smuggling of historical artifacts.

Accused                                 : Serpil Koksal, Ibrahim Kizartici, Sevket Murat Dusen

Court and Date of Hearing   : Ankara 4th Criminal Court of First Instance, 20 September 2007 at 09:45 am

Introduction                           : Serpil Köksal from Conscientious Objection Working Group, İbrahim Kızartıcı carrying a placard “Don’t be a soldier” and Şevket Murat were arrested as they demonstrated in front of Human Rights Statue on 12 April 2007 demanding the release of conscientious objector Halil Savda. Ankara Security Department filed a complaints against them which led to a case. They are charged with “alienating people from military service.

Accused                                 : İbrahim Guclu, Neval Barlas, Enis Mazhar Tayman

Court and Date of Hearing   : Bagcilar 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, 20 September 2007 at 10:25 am

Introduction                           : The case is against reporter of Tempo magazine Enis Mazhar Tayman and responsibe editor Neval Barlas over an interview with former vice president of Rights and Freedoms Party (Hak-Par) İbrahim Güçlü who is also the spokeperson of Diyarbakır KURD-DER association.