Journalist Organizations Protest Police Media Ban

Turkey’s prominent journalism organizations protested the media presence ban across the country’s police stations, saying that it violated the right to information. 

Journalists Society of Turkey (TGC), Journalist Union of Turkey (TGS) Istanbul Branch, Journalists Federation of Turkey (TGF) and Media Council protested the latest decision with separate statements. Some of the highlights from the statements included the following. 

Media Council: No such practice in democracies 

In real democracies, right to information is a sacred right and it can’t be blocked under any circumstances. This type of censure attempt only happens when democratic rights are seriously threatened. They never succeeded and they never will. 

TGS: The government curtails facts 

The government chose to dismiss police officers, prosecutors after minister sons were arrested within corruption probe. They attempted to curtailed the facts. The government always tried silence dissident voices with threats and oppression. As journalists, we will stand against this siege with our organized force. 

TGC: Explicitly a censure 

This decision is unfortunately an obstacle against people’s right to learn the truth and right to be informed. This is almost to tell journalists not to get any information and write anything. The government says that it wants to diffuse whatever information it wants to give and journalists have no right to investigate. This practice is inconceivable at a true democracy. The right to be informed, one of the pillars of constitution, is seriously being damaged wit this decision. This is a direct intervention against press freedom. It is explicitly a censure. 

TGF: Never happened before 

This decision is definitely meaningful at a moment when graft probe broke. Journalist perform their duties in order to serve for public interest to be informed. This decision does not only impede public right to be informed but it is also a censure. Even in the post coup era, journalists were subjected to such practice in Turkey. 

What happened before? 

Police authorities in Istanbul announced that media representatives will no longer be allowed within the premisses of police stations across Turkey. They also asked media representatives in Vatan and Gayrettepe premisses in Istanbul to return the keys of media rooms and entrance IDs. (EA/BM)