İSTANBUL -  25 years have passed since Evrensel Newspaper reporter Metin Göktepe was beaten to death by the police. "He is a symbol of the press freedom struggle" said Fatih Polat, the newspaper's Editor-in-Chief.

 

25 years have passed since the murder of Evrensel Newspaper reporter Metin Göktepe, who was beaten and killed after being detained while following news in the Ümraniye district of İstanbul on January 8, 1996. Göktepe murder aroused great repercussions in Turkey at that time.

 

Immediately after the murder of Göktepe, Teoman Ünüsan, Minister of Internal Affairs of the time, said in a television program on January 11, 1996, “I do not have full information on the subject. However, the latest information is that Metin Göktepe died by falling from the wall!" However after a while, government had to accept the death of Göktepe whom they claim to have fell down a wall. The minister apologized from Göktepe's mother after his statement but mother Göktepe did not accept the apology and demanded those responsible to be captured and prosecuted.

 

TRIAL LASTED FOR 4 YEARS

 

The lawsuits filed after the murder of Göktepe were carried from one province to another and lasted for 4 years. In the case that was concluded in February 1999, the court sentenced six of the eleven police officers to 7 years and 6 months in prison. The police, who benefited from the amnesty known as Rahşan amnesty, remained in prison for a total of 1 year and 8 months.

 

PASSION FOR JOUNALISM

 

Göktepe's older sister, Meryem Göktepe Türkmen, stated that her brother was a responsible person since childhood. Emphasizing that journalism was a passion for his brother and that he started journalism in high school Türkmen told her brother used to say,  "If I was born again, I would be a journalist again."

 

'HE DEFENDED JOURNALISM AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE'

 

Expressing that her sister was a journalist who defended journalism at the risk of his life, said: "Zehra Doğan once said in an award ceremony for journalism that Metin was her 'dark eyed hero'. I can never forget that. I have known so many journalists like him. They bring the truth to the people at the risk of their lives. I wish they can protect themselves as well."

 

IT WAS A CONTINUATION OF THE MURDERS

 

Evrensel Editor-in-Chief Fatih Polat said that Göktepe's murder was a continuation of the murders of journalists committed in the 90's. Explaining that many efforts were made to establish solidarity within the press after the murder of Göktepe, Polat stated that further violence was relatively prevented due to the solidarity provided at that time. Polat stated that it was important that the murderer of Göktepe was punished, and underlined that this was only possible because of the struggle at that time."

 

Underlining that now the pressure is not applied only on journalists, Polat said: "There is a strong hegemony of the power in Turkey but there also is a strong solidarity between journalists. This solidarity needs to be more compact. The pressure of the government continues on the journalists, which means that he sees the potential of a press that is strong enough to disturb him."

 

'WE NEED TO FIGHT BACK'

 

Underlining that the freedom of press is not something that will be handed over on a silver plate, Polat said: "You are free despite all the pressures as long as you defend the right of the people to receive news. And every news item contributes to broadening freedom of the press. Press freedom is not something that stays in place after it has been won.You are free despite all the pressures as long as you defend the right of the people to receive news. And every news item contributes to broadening freedom of the press. Press freedom is not something that stays in place after it has been won. You have to keep fighting back to preserve it. If you retreat in terms of professional and journalistic criteria, you will lose territory. You become unable to report. Therefore, we have to stand tall and fight back until the end."

 

Basın özgürlüğünün bahşedilen bir şey olmadığının altını çizen Polat, şöyle devam etti: “Siz haber yaptığınız, halkın haber alma hakkını savunduğunuz oranda bütün baskılara rağmen özgürsünüz. Ve her haber basın özgürlüğünün genişletilmesine katkıda bulunuyor. Basın özgürlüğü de kazanıldıktan sonra yerinde duran bir şey değildir. Kazanıldıktan sonra yaşatılması için mücadele etmek gerekir. Sen mesleki ve habercilik kriterleri bakımından geri çekilirsen, iktidar geri çekildiğin yere oturur. Sen haber yapamayacak hale gelirsin. Dolayısıyla orada dik durmak, sonuna kadar mücadele etmek gerekir.”

 

'HE IS A SYMBOL'

 

 

Underlining that after his death many journalists just like him came into his place and dozens were named after him, Polat said: "This is the point of holding onto a profession. We will commemorate Metin again. Because he is the symbol of the struggle for press freedom."

 

MA / Kadir Güney