In the last operation on media in the context of the Ergenekon case, arrestment of the journalists of Oda TV Soner Yalçın, Nedim Şener and Ahmet Şık following the inquiry process churned up a part of media. Demonstrations with taped mouths and protests are froth up with the slogans such as “freedom of press is restricted, journalists are silenced.” Particularly, Nedim Şener and Ahmet Şık are defended with the warranties as “good boys whom we know very well.” These names are even said to have written against Ergenekon; thus their arrestment must have been because of some other purposes. The decision of the prosecutor stipulating the collection of the drafts and attachments of the book “İmanın Ordusu” (The Army of the Imam) that was being written by Ahmet Şık is castigated. Collecting and censoring a book not published yet cause greater protest under the name of freedom of press. The protests of the sworn supporters and defendants of the Ergenekon can be clearly understood within the frame of the document titled as “Ulusal Medya 2010” (National Media 2010). However, it is quite difficult to understand the critical approaches of some liberal democrat journalist, writer or intellectuals who supported the Ergenekon lawsuit, towards the last operation under the veil of freedom of press and defense of liberty or protecting journalism.
The document titled “Ulusal Medya 2010” which was captured from Soner Yalçın and describes the media strategy of the Ergenekon enlightens those who want to understand the situation coming about after the last operation on media. Here are some lines from the details of the respective document:
“It should be told that the operations being conducted are political; the AKP (Justice and Development Party) and the religious communion (Gulen Communion) are in a civil & fascist movement against the Republican Principles and Revolution in a revanchist manner which is a green movement extending to a dictatorship.”
“…the idea that the lawsuits under conduction would cause nonrecoverable political and judicial causes in terms of human rights violations.”
“The proofs that the other party (the police) reached should be nullified, invalidated and the arguments that the defense developed should be used in order to normalize the proofs. In this context, the weak points and allegations should be taken on to the agenda and identified with the whole lawsuit.”
“In order to break the support of the public opinion to the institution conducting the lawsuit, the institution should be fretted and its reliability should besmirched either at institutional level or at individual level”
Although the Prosecutor Zekeriya Öz expressed in writing that this operation was not because of the writings of the journalists but because they are the members of the Ergenekon and their actions within this frame, it seems that he has not convinced the aforementioned people.
Those who applauded when the operations are towards soldiers, police or intelligence officers began to protest when they are against journalists. There is not so much to say to the sworn defendants of Ergenekon. They do their jobs. Our words are to those who are confused due to this lawsuit.
The draft document named as “İmamın Orduları” (The Armies of the Imam) is an organizational document targeting to hit all actors of the transformation over the religious communion (Gulen Communion). These organizational documents prepared in line with the purposes of Ergenekon including the indictment, the book, all notes put down on the book and other proofs were prevented because they would be used as the instruments of a great provocation before the 2011 elections. They would have prevented the preparations of the new constitution by influencing the results of the elections and created a great sensation preventing the democratic transformation. The barons of Ergenekon didn’t do the encouragements to Ahmet Şık saying “we will cherish you majestically abroad, as long as you publish this book immediately,” in futile.
The support of the US Ambassador to the chorus at home, the sounding of EU and the appreciation of the USA spokesmen should also be interpreted I think.
Those who frequently criticized the Ergenekon lawsuit, those who are in an endeavor mislead the public opinion by reconstituting the case didn’t pay attention to the accusations directed to the suspects, the realities of the indictments and the characteristics of these kinds of cases. The lawsuit has been going on for four years, the number of the suspect exceeds 500, the number of pages of the indictments exceeds 10.000 and the numbers of files is above 2000. Following the lawsuit of the murder of the State Council members, the lawsuit of Malatya Zirve Murder has also been combined with the file of Ergenekon lawsuit. Despite of the widespread support of public opinion, the line of defense still resists unfortunately.
The Ergenekon lawsuit is the greatest and the most prominent lawsuits since the Republic. It is absolutely not a political case. It is not a operation silencing the opponents at all. The government doesn’t only prevent the operation and puts it political decree forth. This lawsuit which has been of the nation is supported by the strategic institutions of the state as well.
Availability of people from every occupation, social sect, ideology, religion, party, religious sect, sex, level and type in Ergenekon is because of the nature of these kinds of organizations.
The appearance of soldiers, police, intelligence officer, businessman, mafia and unionist should not be found odd. It is obvious that the Ergenekon with all its branches will be blasted away in a specific timing. The actors seeming to be leftist, rightist, nationalist, liberal and conservatives may come out as suspects. All institutional entities such as politics, media, business, bureaucracy, diplomacy, academia, judicial, and civil societies may undergo a process of inquiry. The lawsuits and indictments of 28 February, 27 April, the Plan to Combat Against Reactionary, Espionage, Poyrazköy awaits their turn. The lawsuit process may take 4-5 years and the numbers of the suspects may increase to 3-5 thousands. The external connections of Ergenekon may be unveiled. The continuance of this lawsuit seems to be inevitable till the psychological impact of Ergenekon is eradicated in society, till its volition is broken, till the principle of rule of law, the decree of public and democracy begin to rule. The Ergenekon case is the operation of clearance and refinement of microbes which cause ailment in the body of the state. It is the case of releasing from guardianship, covered colonialism, independency, stopping the cosmic-deep state operation. The Ergenekon case is the process of the transformation of a historical basic paradigm which the democratic transformation of Turkey is based on, the independency empowered with, and the state is restructured with. The complaint in this case is the public or the New Turkey.