Geerdink: I did not know I was in a restricted area

06-09-2015 15:49
By correspondent Luke Waagmeester: The Dutch journalist Fréderike Geerdink arrested in Turkey because she was in a restricted area. Her lawyer expects she will hear tomorrow if there is a complaint. Until then, she remains in custody.
 
Geerdink saying this morning on the phone itself, from the police station in Yüksekova. She was arrested last night near the city, in the most southeastern part of Turkey.
 
"They say I was in a restricted area, but I did not know," said Geerdink. "There's nowhere a sign that you may not come to that place."
 
Human shield
 
Geerdink was arrested along with a group of 32 people. The group was in the area as a so-called 'living shield group. These are activists who in turn sit in places where the military operations in progress. Geerdink was with the group to make a report about them.
 
In the southeast of Turkey since late July army operations working against the Kurdish terrorist organization PKK. Regularly applies in areas under curfew or area ban.
 
"I expected a few hours to be with the group, but when we were on the spot, the road was closed by the army. So I ended up two days and nights there," said Geerdink. "In hearing the surroundings were continuous shots."
 
On the way back it went wrong; just before the group last night Yüksekova reached, was detained their van. Geerdink: "We are all the way to the police station held at gunpoint by a command with a machine gun."
 
Sources
 
Geerdinks lawyer expected to released soon, because it is clear that she did not feel like part of the group of activists, but as a journalist. Geerdink: "The police continue to ask if my friends had not been told that the place was off limits, I always answer that those people are not my friends, but my sources.".
 
In early January Geerdink was also arrested, then on suspicion of making propaganda for a terrorist organization. She lives in southeastern Turkey and writes much about the PKK. In that case, she was acquitted because the judge her work is covered by the press.
 
Whether it comes to court, it is not yet clear. Geerdink said on the phone that she is fairly relaxed and expectant her fate. "And now I have to hang up, because there begins a gentleman in uniform angry look at me."
 
nos.nl/© Frederike GEERDINK
 
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