In 1997, for example, three journalists two from the now defunct Kurdish nationalist Demokrasi paper and a reporter for the mainstream private television channel ATV were arrested for interviewing two former PKK members. The state prosecutor charged that the trio of reporters had pressured the men to make their statements, which were deemed detrimental to state interests. The pair, however, had earlier given similar accounts without incident to other newspapers and to two popular television news programs. They even testified before a commission of the parliament of Turkey. The three journalists were later acquitted.
Timing also plays a role.
During periods of liberalization, the doors of expression swing open, and repressive press laws, while still on the books, are often ignored by state prosecutors. During periods of crisis, on the other hand, such as an escalation in the conflict in southeastern Turkey, those very same doors are slammed shut, and state authorities invoke the full measure of the law, including against well-known journalists and writers. His interview ran as full-page articles without incident for eighteen days. The interview appeared in Cumhuriyet during an unofficial cease-fire, while the book came out during an escalation of the conflict in the fall of 1993. Repressive actions are facilitated by Turkey s antiquated legal system and restrictive constitution, which reflect the country s more authoritarian past.