FREEDOM OF THE PRESS

The Doğan Media Group, Turkey's largest media group, has to pay 1.7 billion Euros (3.75 billion Turkish Lira) worth of penalty and tax cut imposed by the Turkish Finance Ministry. The Turkish Journalists' Society (TGC) and the Contemporary Journalists Association (ÇGD) consider the fine as an attack on the people's right of information and as an attempt to intimidate the press.

The TGC Board of Directors declared: "The European Court of Human Rights emphasizes in many of their decisions that the boarders for the press criticizing the government are very broad. Yet in our country we cannot reconcile such an intolerance of criticism on the government with the understanding of democracy".

ÇGC President Ahmet Abakay told bianet: "This is part of the government's attempt to tranquilize the Doğan Media Group and to bring their contents more in line with the government. In my opinion, this is dangerous in terms of freedom of the press and freedom of expression".

TGC: Ruling authorities must end cruel behavior towards the press

TGC evaluated the „exorbitant fine" by the tax authorities as an attack on the people's right of information, explaining that it is the duty of a free press in democracies to criticize the political leadership.

The TGC indicated that in the course of promising a democratic opening, respect for freedom of the press must not be forgotten. The organization declared:

"The problem is actually a democracy issue. The political leadership has been insensitive about the problems of the people working in the press sector. Now they impose a high fine on a media group employing many hard working people aiming to intimidate them and pushing them out of the publishing sector. Like this an increase of jobless people in the press sector is inevitable"

"We want to believe that the political powers, making positive steps to bring peace to this country, will put an end to the cruel behavior towards the press and that they will take the necessary care of the freedom of the press considering the people's right of information".

Abakay: The aim is to put pressure on the group

Akbay underlined the fact that the prime minister or the government's tax authorities used their power to oppress the Doğan group. He pointed out that the developments are proving his beliefs right that this incident is dangerous for the freedom of the press and freedom of expression.

Akbay said that writer Bekir Coşkun, who resigned from Hürriyet newspaper (belonging to Doğan group), is investigated because he is believed to have a "liquidation list" with the names of 10 writers. According to Akbay, this exemplifies the government's unjust, oppressive and intimidating approach towards the media group.

"Every company debt results in economic connections to the tax authorities. A company might have to pay a debt or a fine. Until this point everything is normal. But the way of keeping accounts uneven and the attitude towards the Doğan group shown by the government, the Tax Authorities and the Prime Minister in this issue evoke feelings of doubt, prejudices and vengeance".

Motion of Erçelebi from DSP

Hasan Erçelebi, Democratic Left Party (DSP) MP from Denizli (in the southwest of Turkey), filed a motion about the media group's tax fine and brought the issue to the agenda of the National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) (EÖ/VK)