Musa Kart’s Journalistic Colleague Release Ahead Of Trial; ECtHR Asks Turkey For Written Defense

Turkish authorities have released one of the journalists arrested over the last several months on charges of aiding and abetting terrorism through their practice of journalism. Ogez Guven's release doesn't seem to hold out additional hope for those like cartoonist Musa Kart who were in the early round-ups over this particularly blanket charge of assisting what became a coup attempt, but it sure does underline how freakishly out of touch and ridiculous the charges can be, and how terrifying it is that any of this stuff is moving forward.

A thing to remember about fascistic action in politics is that it violates standards norms as a way to bring a kind of shocking power to the political actors' willingness to disrupt standard behavior in return for a show of power that may assist control. That's certainly in line with what seems to be happening here. It does not take much for this kind of move to happen anywhere, and when it happens, it's amazing how quickly it becomes its own standard way of thinking.

In potentially more hopeful news, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has asked Turkey for a written submission by October 2 of a defense for their behavior according to accusations made by and on behalf of the detained journalists. I have no idea how much pull something like this has, but it can put what happened and is happening in stark terms and the details always look awful in this case. I remember there was a time about a dozen years ago when Turkey's standing with the West was considered a prime deterrent against too much censorious action. The West is a bit different now, the government of Turkey is in a different place, and the power structures are different. Still.

Again this publication adds it voice to so many publications and individual actors to denouncing the overreaching absurdity of these charges and how they've been employed. Any way other than this way would be a better way. Please free Musa Kart and his colleagues immediately. Please suspend the charges.
 
posted 12:55 am PST | Permalink
 

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