Press freedom in Turkey: Journalist who are supposed to be granted awards are on trial

img
DİYARBAKIR - Journalists who are faced with pressures and obstructions on the World Press Freedom Day told that the journalists who should get awards are on trial for doing their jobs or even behind bars.
 
The United Nations (UN) General Assembly declared the date of May 3 as World Press Freedom Day in 1993 with the aim of battling censorship, commemorating the murdered journalists and reminding the role of the press in democracy. The day in question has been met with pressure, censorship, access bans and closing of news outlets and professional organizations this year, as was in the recent years. Turkey is one of the countries ranking in the bottom of the list in terms of press freedom. According to the "World Press Freedom 2020 Index" of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Turkey ranks 154th among 180 countries. According to Dicle Fırat Journalists Association's (DFG) "Report on Rights Violations Against Journalists in 2020", at least 90 journalists are still behind bars in Turkey. According to the same report, the number of news articles that has been blocked in the country last year is 960.
 
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER 2016
 
Stating that the press has never been free in the country, DFG Co-chair Serdar Altan noted that journalists are faced with constant pressure, intimidation and use of force. Emphasizing that the prohibitions against the press have become a tradition, Altan stated that the journalists who expose the policies of the government and reveal the invisible and the unheard are frequently oppressed and targeted. Pointing out that the pressures against the press increased after the 15 July 2016 military coup attempt, Altan said, "The institutions and media organizations were closed. An attempt was made to create a 'one-voice and one-color media'. "A media empire that accepts what the government says is true and hides the truth from society. Almost all of the 700 televisions broadcasting today serve the government. The only tradition that opposes this, is the organizations that come from the tradition of the free press."
 
JOURNALISTS ARE BEING PUNISHED
 
Noting that journalists and professional organizations are punished and intimidated by the judiciary, Altan said, “In this way, they are trying to push the journalists away from the field. The best example of it is the journalists in Van that broke the story about two villagers thrown from a military helicopter by Turkish soldiers and got arrested for it.This clearly shows where freedom of press stands in Turkey. Underlining that journalists are accused of being 'members of a terrorist organization' just for doing their jobs, and the courts acquit these practices.
 
CIRCULAR OF THE GENERAL SECURITY DIRECTORATE
 
Referring to the circular that prohibits recording police violence which is based on 'right to privacy', Altan said: "The government does not want anybody to report on the field, we saw this with this circular. The police are building a wall between journalists who want to record demonstrations and press releases with their shields. These images are still fresh in everyone's memory. But journalists could take photos anyway. Now they want to prevent this with this circular. Now both journalists and citizens will not be able to film the police violence. This is what happened is Turkey's freedom of the press. " Emphasizing that journalists must strongly resist pressure, censorship, closure and arrests and weave a network of solidarity, Altan stated that this "dark picture" will not continue forever.  
 
JOURNALIST WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GRANTED AWARDS ARE ON TRIAL
 
Jinnews reporter Beritan Canözer, who has been under arrest for a while, emphasized that freedom of the press cannot be spoken of at a time when journalists are being battered and detained. Canözer pointed out that the freedom of the press in the country got worse during the AKP governmet and told that the government only considers those who have a press card issued by the Presidency as journalists, and the rest are terrorists to them. Stating that she was also targeted by the government for her journalistic activities, Canözer told the accusations are absurd. Canözer said: "They filed lawsuits against me for my questions to my sources. Had the stories written by our friends were published elsewhere, they would be granted awards, but in Turkey, they are behind bars. I am not only on trial for being Beritan, I am prosecuted for being a reporter for Jinnews. This also shows that women are being targeted in Turkey."
 
 
 
MA / Ergin Çağlar - Mehmet Erol 

View More Articles

22/11/2021
12:52 Not being protected, Ergany Church fell into ruin
12:48 Confidentiality order on our reporter Acar's file
10:23 Mother subjected to strip search, fainted
10:22 Mothers to KDP: We want a headstone for our children
21/11/2021
11:16 Medicament crisis in Turkey
10:56 Prisoner with schizophrenia after torture is not released
20/11/2021
17:08 HDP: Millions of children are deprevide of their right to education in their mother tongue
13:30 PYD Women's Council Spokesperson: Turkey's problem with Rojava is the hope it creates
13:29 Şenyaşar Family: We need to stand together and stop oppression
13:28 KDP forces driven to war tunnels exposed to chemical weapons
13:27 Aim is to banish Kurds from Kurdistan
19/11/2021
15:39 DFG: You can't scare journalists
15:38 Şenyaşar family: They destroyed the country to prevent being held to account
12:33 Kurds returning home from Belarus border
12:33 New application submitted by Öcalan's family and guardian
12:32 Security measures of Governorship disturbs the people
12:30 Mass demonstration against violations in prisons
10:53 Global sisterhood will liberate women
10:52 Our reporter Emrullah Acar detained
18/11/2021
14:20 From Middle East to Middle Asia: Only fear of dictators
17/11/2021
16:12 Sick prisoner Özkan now bedridden: Tomorrow might be too late
16:12 Open letter from Leyla Güven to Minister of Justice
16:06 Minors beaten under police custody
16:05 Kurdish language and traditional dance punished in Silivri Prison
16:05 Supreme Court objects to fine given to journalists in Berkin Elvan case
16:04 Families of HPG members demanding bodies of their children released
16/11/2021
16:56 Şenyaşar family calls on the parliament
16:55 Remaining silence about repression in prisons is no option
16:55 Karamus to Kurds on Poland border: Don't leave your lands
12:55 Lawyers of Öcalan submits new application to visit İmralı
12:54 Çomanî: Barzani is the Erdoğan of Bashur, people are running away from him
12:54 Güzel: Turkey violates Geneva Protocol
11:12 Öcalan's attorney: Turkey is misleading, responsibility lies with the EC
11:11 With his condition discussed by EC, political prisoner Boltan denied treatment
15/11/2021
16:05 Prison report from IHD: Torture and ill-treatment increased in Elazığ and Diyarbakır prisons
16:04 At least 165 workers died in October
16:03 Racist attack against the HDP Urfa Provincial Organization building
16:03 Prisoners leg bones shrinking due to lack of treatment
12:01 'Why are Eymur's confessions not being investigated?'
11:07 From mothers to Barzani: Stop the bloodshed between siblings
11:05 'Our wounds won't heal before Dersim Massacre is called out
13/11/2021
16:58 Turkish war planes shell Garé
14:00 HDP PM: Use of chemical weapons must be investigated
13:59 Şenyaşar family sit in on day 250: Establish justice or resign
10:54 Dr. Savary-Borioli: Öcalan is the key to solution in the Middle East
10:53 Senator Díaz: 'Terror list' is an obstacle in front of peace
10:52 Zêbarî:KDP is responsible from the refugee crisis at Poland borders
10:51 Kurdish mothers denounces KDP for being the same with the AKP
12/11/2021
12:20 New application submitted by Öcalan's family and guardian
11:58 Freedom Ship will be welcomed en masse in Naples today