Evrensel Newspaper reporter Metin Göktepe, who was detained by the police and beaten to death, was commemorated at his gravesite in Kemer Cemetery in Esenler, Istanbul on the 25th anniversary of his murder. There were a limited number of people who attended the memorial due to Covid-19 circumstances. Fatih Polat, Editor-in-Chief of Evrensel Newspaper, made the first speech at the commemoration event. At the commemoration the Göktepe family, Evrensel Newspaper Editor in Chief Fatih Polat, Labor Party (EMEP) Chairman Ercüment Akdeniz, Labour Party Chair of the Istanbul Provincial Sema Barbaros, Saturday People, Journalists’ Union of Turkey (TGS) Chair Gökhan Durmuş, DİSK Basın-IS President Faruk Eren, DISK President Arzu Çerkezoğlu, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Representative in Turkey Erol Önderoğlu, Berkin Elvan's family, CHP and HDP deputies, CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu, HDPE Istanbul Provincial Co-Chair Erdal Avci and a very large number of journalists participated. "Metin Göktepe is immortal", "Evrensel writes, Metin lives", "We are all Metin", "Detained journalists must be released", "Metins do not die, Evrensel will not remain silent" banners and Labor Party banners were carried. Carnations were laid on Göktepe's grave. Metin Göktepe's sister Meryem Göktepe read a message from Fadime Göktepe, who could not attend the commemoration due to the pandemic.
Speaking at the commemoration, Evrensel Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Fatih Polat said, “Metin is our foothold in terms of freedom of the press. Many journalists are currently under arrest. Turkey is going through a very rough period. Newly opened channels do not last over a month. TELE1 was given the maximum penalty for a three-coloured shawl. There is a heavy siege on our profession. Metin’s determined stance in following the news is now an inspiration to many journalists. We will continue to defend the public's right to information" he said.
TGS President Gökhan Durmuş, started his speech by saying "No progress has been made in terms of freedom of the press in 25 years, we’ve gone backwards", "There is a government hostile to the media and the public. 70 journalists are in prison. Today, journalists are still after the truth. Metin is still guiding hundreds, thousands of journalists today," he said.
Faruk Eren, Head of Press Business of DİSK, said, "It has been a quarter of a century since we have lost our dear Metin. We come every year. Every year with a heavier heart. A large number of journalists are on trial. They are attacking journalists from all angles with their institutions. When Metin Göktepe was murdered, it was said that he had no yellow press card. Dozens of journalists do not have press cards today. 4 journalists were arrested in Van. Ayşegül Doğan was punished for working as a journalist. Journalism cannot be defined by the state or power. The journalists who are still reporting despite everything are our hope. We are hopeful." he said.
RSF Turkey Representative Erol Önderoğlu said, “We need to remind present day society of the injustice of Metin Gokrepe’s murder and rebuild the struggle from 25 years ago”, as Berkin Elvan’s mother Gülsüm Elvan said, “Since that day we’ve always said justice, and will continue to say justice. Today, those who reported Berkin’s news were punished but those who shot him walk free.”
DİSK Chairman Arzu Çerkezoğlu said, "Metin was murdered while in pursuit of the truth. Before starting journalism, I want to commemorate Metin, who was right next to us in the struggle of university youth. Metin is alive. Today, he lives in the struggle of the young people who protect their universities. Metin continues to give us strength" she said.
Metin Goktepe was born on the 10th of April 1968 in a small village called Cipil, in Sivas Gurun. Göktepe, who spent the first 11 years of his life here, was the 7th child of a family with 8 children who earned his living from agriculture and animal husbandry. Göktepe, who studied primary school in the only school in the village, in a combined class, came to Istanbul with his younger brother Aziz in 1979, just before his mother and father, following the migration of his older brothers and sisters over the years. In the same year, he studied his final year of primary school in Esenler Hasip Dinçsoy, secondary school and high school at the then called Esenler, now called Bakırköy İbrahim Turhan High School and graduated in 1986. With his success in prep school, which he attended for a year, he was able to send his brother to go too. Göktepe, who worked during the summer holidays to pay for his studies, got into Istanbul University Faculty of Economics Department of Finance in 1989. He became acquainted with politics through his older brother and sister who worked in a factory and participated in cultural and social activities from 1986. Göktepe became an active member of the student youth struggle at his university. He started journalism in Gercek magazine in 1992 and continued as a reporter for Evrensel Newspaper in 1995.
On the 8th of January 1996, He was among the thousand people who were taken into custody by the police while on duty to watch the funeral of two detainees killed in prison. Almost a thousand people were taken into custody; the death of Göktepe, who was beaten to death by the police, who said "special treatment to the journalist", had great repercussions. Teoman Ünüsan, Minister of Internal Affairs of the period, in his 32nd Day program on January 11, 1996, said, “I do not have full information on the subject. However, the latest information is that Metin Göktepe died by falling off a wall! " he made a statement. Under the pressure of the public, it had to be admitted that the journalist who allegedly fell from the wall, was in fact beaten and killed in custody. The Minister of Internal Affairs of the period apologized to Fadime Göktepe when his thesis was refuted, but Göktepe's mother did not accept this apology and demanded that those responsible be put on trial.
The lawsuit, which was circulated from the province and lasted 4 years, to prevent mass appropriation came to a decision in February 1999. Six of the eleven civil servants were sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison, and the Court of Cassation upheld the sentence of five of the six civil servants who were sentenced on May 5, 1999, and overturned the sentence given to the police chief. With the amnesty known to the public as "Rahşan Amnesty" [the amnesty, which is believed to have been issued by the wife of Bülent Ecevit, who later became prime minister], the police were released after 1 year and 8 months. Metin Göktepe is the first journalist among the journalists killed in custody to have his murderers convicted. (EVRENSEL DAILY)
Ceren Sözeri
Yusuf Karadaş
Aras Coşkuntuncel