ANKARA - Journalism professional organizations who stated that the EGM's circular on the prevention of persons recording the police aims to prevent the torture being recorded, told that the circular aims to prevent journalists from doing their jobs.

 

A circular issued on April 27 with the signature of Security General Director Mehmet Aktaş was the last move against the freedom of press and citizen journalism.  With the circular, the police units were instructed to block people who films the police violence and take legal action against them. The circular that claims that journalists recording the incidents prevents the police officers from performing their duties, justified the circular by saying that it was a 'violation of right to privacy'.

 

Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD) Chair Can Güleryüzlü, Journalists Union of Turkey (TGS) Chair Gökhan Durmuş, General Secretary of the Confederation of Turkish Revolutionary Workers' Unions (DISK) Press and Printing Employees Union of Turkey (Press-İş)  Özge Yurttaş, spoke to our agency regarding the circular.

 

GÜLERYÜZLÜ: CLEAR VIOLATION OF LAW

 

ÇGD Chair Can Güleryüzlü stated that the decision was taken to prevent the press and the public from receiving information and it was far from protecting personal rights. Underlining that an explanation must be made to clarify what the circular intends, Güleryüzlü said that otherwise the text would cease to be a legal text and would cause problems instead. In any social incident, not only the journalist, but the citizens have a right to record the violence of the law enforcement on the demonstrators. However this circular violates the judicial decision and it is a clear violation of law. It will turn into a vessel of preventing the journalist from doing their job. They want to place more restrictive legislations and regulations that destroy fundamental rights and freedoms in our lives."

 

YURTTAŞ: THEY ARE TRYING TO PREVENT RECORDS OF TORTURE

 

DİSK Press Work General Secretary Özge Yurttaş stated that the reasons for the instructions in the circular were aimed at preventing the disproportionate use of force and torture carried out by the police.

 

Underlining that citizen journalists as well as professional journalists has a right to convey news to the public, Yurttaş said: "Even large media organizations use information and images from citizen journalists for their news flow. It is unfair to attempt to prevent this activity by criminalizing it. In our opinion, the legal border and framework of the "violation of private life", which is an excuse for the circular, does not give such a right to the police. Because there is an exemplary decision of the Supreme Court on the right to privacy. In addition to the Supreme Court decision, it is stated in the Law on Protection of Personal Data that freedom of expression is within the scope of the exception. In this case, all incidents happening in the public space, or any events concerning the public must be evaluated within the scope of freedom of expression and press protected by the constitution and international conventions."

 

DURMUŞ: THIS IS CENCORSHIP

 

Underlining that the circular violates the freedom of press and expression, TGS Chair Gökhan Durmuş stated that it is not possible to accept any regulation at the level of law in accordance with the constitutional articles.

 

Durmuş reminded that law enforcement officers are obliged to perform a public duty for the establishment of public order, therefore, emphasized that every action taken by the law enforcement concerns the public and that the actions taken during the execution of public duty cannot be associated with the privacy life or the protection of personal data.

 

Underlining that the regulation targeted members of the press and citizens right to recieve news, Durmuş said, “As a matter of fact, at least 18 journalists were subjected to police intervention and detained while following news last year. With this circular, it has been made impossible to monitor any action involving law enforcement. This regulation is pre-censored. The Press Law is against the Constitution and international conventions. The press cannot be censored, based on the right to respect for the privacy of law enforcement officials and the protection of personal data."