Former pro-Kurdish newspaper
Özgür Ülke was a Turkish newspaper established on the 28 April 1994, following the shut down of Özgür Gündem and other newspapers which reported on the Kurdish Turkish conflict by the Turkish government.[1] It was closed down on the 2 February 1995, and 220 of its 247 issues were confiscated.[1]
History
Three offices of the newspaper, two in Istanbul and one in Ankara, were simultaneously bombed on the 3 December 1994.[2] As a result, one person died and 23 others were wounded by the explosions. The next day the paper was published with the title "This fire could burn you, too" on the front-page.[1] The Turkish authorities didn't charge anyone for the bombings, but arrested the wounded at their release from hospital. Following a solidarity campaign was launched by the Turkish public society.[1][3] After about two weeks time, Özgür Ülke released an article containing a document signed by Tansu Çiller, in which was ordered to take measures to silence the media which was deemed a threat for the integrity of the state, specifically singling out Özgür Ülke.[4] Yıldırım Aktuna, a spokesperson of the Government of Tansu ÇIller, declared that the authorities suspect that the newspaper bombed itself, in order to put the Turkish government into a difficult position.[1] It was shut down on 2 February 1995 on grounds that it represented a continuation of the defunct and prohibited Özgür Gündem.[5]
References
