Norwegian Correspondent Denied Work Permit

Click here to read the article in Turkish / Haberin Türkçesi için buraya tıklayın

Office of the Prime Minister Directorate General of Press and Information (BYEGM) has denied press accreditation and work permit of Silje Kampesæter from Norwegian Aftenposten.

International freedom of press and expression organization, PEN International has announced that the denial has been performed without any explanation.

Kampesæter opened a bureau for the paper in Istanbul in September 2015 and has shed light on Turkish domestic politics as well as reporting from the south-east of the country on the escalating tension between the authorities and the Kurdish armed group, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) which has resulted in attacks from both sides.

Remarks of Executive Director of the PEN International and president of Norwegian PEN, William Nygaard have been included in the statement of PEN International.

Torner expressed that “This raises questions about what the authorities may be trying to hide from the outside world, particularly in Diyarbakir/Amed and other parts of the south east where disturbing reports about the escalating conflict”.

Nygaard said, “By such actions, we see how the Turkish authorities step by step are distancing themselves from the principles of human rights and freedom of expression. These are issues which the international community must urgently address in its efforts for cooperation and political stability in the region”.

Aftenposten daily reported that they experienced such a thing the last time in 1971 when the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) had deported its reporter. The report also stated that fiancée of Kampesæte being a German citizen of Kurdish origin may cause the denial.

Dutch journalist Frederike Geerdink was deported from Turkey in 2015, and that Vice TV’s Iraqi translator, Ismael Rasool of Kurdish origin was arrested on charges of “Deliberately and willingly helping armed organization thought not involved within hierarchical structure of the organization”. (VA/HK/TK)